Conrad Shawcross

Imbued with an appearance of scientific rationality, Conrad Shawcross’ sculptures explore subjects that lie on the borders of geometry and philosophy, physics and metaphysics. Inspired by various technologies, the artist's work may retain in appearance the authority of machinery – yet, it remains enigmatic, filled with paradox and wonder. Some works have an absurdist melancholy feel, while others tend towards the sublime, substituting the purely functional for phenomenological experience. Ultimately, Shawcross’ art questions what we take for granted and encourages us to see beyond the physical.

Throughout his career, Shawcross has experimented with ideal geometries and topologies; these constructions are conceived as systems, sometimes modular, sometimes mechanical, which could be theoretically extended infinitely into space. In these and other sculptures, Shawcross has paid tribute to some of the great pioneers and analysts, and considered specific moments or figures from the past. A further evolution of Shawcross' practice has seen the development of static works that contain both an internal dynamic and an idea movement. In tandem, the artist has developed the scale of his practice, taking on architectural and public space with work that combines epic scope and poetic grace.

About the Artist

?Conrad Shawcross, RA, was born in 1977 in London, where he currently lives and works.

Major commissions and works in the public realm include: Manifold (Major Third) 5:4, commissioned by The Crossrail Art Programme, Liverpool Street Elizabeth line station, Moorgate, London, UK (2023); Escalations, a solo exhibition at Chateau La Coste, Provence, France, where the artist’s monumental commission Schism (Château La Coste) was on view; Pioneering Places, a major public art work for Ramsgate Royal Harbour, UK; and an exhibition to mark the 800th anniversary of Salisbury Cathedral, Wiltshire, UK (2020); Bicameral, a permanent commission for Chelsea Barracks, curated by Futurecity, London (2019); Exploded Paradigm, permanent commission, Comcast Technology Centre, Philadelphia, USA (2018); The Interpretation of Movement (a 9:8 in blue), HS1 Terrace Wires commission in conjunction with The Royal Academy, St Pancras International station, London (2017); The Optic Cloak, permanent commission for The Energy Centre Greenwich Peninsula, London (2016); Paradigm, permanent commission for the Francis Crick Institute, London (2016); Three Perpetual Chords, permanent commission for Dulwich Park, London, curated and managed by the Contemporary Art Society for Southwark Council (2016).

The artist has solo exhibitions at international institutions including: Cascading Principles, Glyndebourne, East Sussex, UK (2024); What is to become is already here, MICAS, Malta (2023); Cascading Principles, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, UK (2022-23); and previously at Yorkshire Sculpture International, Dean Clough, Halifax, UK (2019); Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, Connecticut, USA (2018); the New Art Centre, Roche Court, East Winterslow, Salisbury, UK (2015); ARTMIA Foundation, Beijing, China (2014); MUDAM, Luxembourg (2012); Science Museum, London, UK (2011– 12); Turner Contemporary, Margate, UK (2011); and Oxford Science Park, UK (2010).

His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally as part of group exhibitions including Cosmic Titans, Lakeside Art Gallery, Nottingham, UK (2025); Winter Light, Hayward Gallery, London, UK (2022); Under the Stars, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Art of Innovation: From Enlightenment to Dark Matter, Science Museum, London, UK (2019); Socle du Monde Biennale 2017, HEART Herning Museum of Contemporary Art, Denmark (2017); Into the Unknown: A Journey Through Science Fiction, Barbican, London, UK (2017); The Universe and Art, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan (2016–17), travelling to ArtScience Museum, Singapore (2017); GLOBALE: Exo-Evolution, ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, Germany (2015–2016); Art Out Loud, Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, UK (2015); Proportio, Palazzo Fortuny, Venice, Italy (2015); Light Show, Hayward Gallery, London, UK (2013), travelling to Auckland Art Gallery, New Zealand (2014–15), MCA Sydney, Australia (2015).

Shawcross has also received numerous awards and undertaken prestigious residencies and cross-arts commissions including: The Ada Project, an ongoing series of musical commissions between Shawcross and leading contemporary composers which was conceived for the Palais de Tokyo, Paris (2013) and has since travelled to venues in Tasmania, London, Hong Kong and Denmark. In June 2020 The Ada Project will be presented in Birmingham and London as part of Carlos Acosta’s Curated by Carlos festival, bringing together dancers, musicians, artists, writers and thinkers who inspire him. Shawcross was one of three contemporary artists invited to create works inspired by Titian’s masterpieces for the project Metamorphosis: Titian 2012, an ambitious collaboration with the National Gallery and Royal Ballet for the Cultural Olympiad. He was Artist in Residence at the Science Museum, London, from 2009–11, and his first public realm commission Space Trumpet, installed in the atrium of the refurbished Unilever Building in London in 2007, won the Art & Work 2008 Award for a Work of Art Commissioned for a Specific Site in a Working Environment. In 2009 he was awarded the Illy prize for best solo presentation at Art Brussels. He was elected a Royal Academician in 2013.

His works are held in permanent collections including: Amorepacific Museum of Art, Seoul, South Korea; British Council, UK; The Hiscox Collection, UK; MUDAM Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, Luxembourg; Museum of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; MONA Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania; Norman Foster Foundation, Madrid, Spain; The Ovitz Family Collection, California, USA; RISD Museum, Providence, Rhode Island, USA; The David Ross Collection, UK; The Saatchi Gallery, London, UK; Tate, UK; Vervoordt Collection, Antwerp, Belgium; Zabludowicz Collection, London, UK; The Extraordinary Collection, Coutts, UK; Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, Chongqing, China.