Sean Henry
b. 1965, United Kingdom

“Looking across a range of Henry’s mature work, certain key aspects of his approach quickly become apparent. His figures are not lifelike. Rarely if ever do they conform to precise human scale, itself a fluid, indeterminate concept. The surface of the work reveals a wealth of evidence of the modelling process – thumbprints, finger marks, striations and incisions. His application of colour is confident and painterly.

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He has a preference for seemingly unremarkable subjects and contemporary dress, which he manages to invests with a certain grandeur. His figures are never demonstrative; they are never shown laughing, crying, or speaking; instead they are often caught in the nanosecond between rest and motion. They seem to ponder, to daydream. They exude what the ancient Greeks called sophrosyne, or self-control.

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Henry models his figures in clay before having them cast in bronze, after which he paints them in oils. Despite their observable realism, when viewed up close the works reveal a looseness of finish in the modelling and painting which announces the figure’s hand-made origin. He is not averse to leaving the incisions of a modelling blade unsmoothed or his fingermarks uncorrected. This leaves the surface pitted and swirling with incident. He wants you to see where he’s been and how he’s made it. The result is an exciting, rugged, visually eventful texture which contributes significantly to our appreciation of the finished object."

By Tom Flynn

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Education

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1991-1992 Visiting Artist, University of California, Davis, with Robert Arneson
1984-1987 Bristol Art School, England, BA in ceramics
1983-1984 The West Surrey College of Art, England

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Awards

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2006 Sean Henry: Sculpture, Cartwright Hall, Bradford, UK
2006 You're Not The Same, Forum Gallery, New York and Los Angeles
2005 Sculpture and Drawings, Kunsthandel Frans Jacobs, Amsterdam, Holland

Selected Public Collections & Installations

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Arizona State University Museum, Arizona, USA

Borås University, Borås, Sweden

Bad Homburg City Collection, Germany

Cass Sculpture Foundation, Goodwood, UK

Colchester City Collection, Essex, UK

David Ross Foundation, Leicestershire, UK

De Montford University, Leicester, UK

Ekebergparken Sculpture Park, Oslo, Norway

Eschborn City Collection, Germany

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Michigan, USA

Holland Park, Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, London, UK

ING Bank, Amsterdam, Holland

Le Meridien Cumberland Hotel, London, UK

National Portrait Gallery, London, UK

Newbiggin Bay Development, Northumberland, UK

Newcastle City Collection, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK

Paddington Central, London, UK

River and Rowing Museum, Henley-On-Thames, Oxfordshire, UK

Royal British Legion, Pall Mall, London, UK

Seavest Collection, Florida, USA

Scheringa Museum of Realist Art, Spanbroekerweg, Holland

Seven Bridges Collection, Greenwich, Connecticut, USA

Standard Chartered Bank, London, UK

Stockholm City Collection, Stockholm, Sweden

Tower Records Collection, Sacremento, California, USA

The Hills, Queenstown, New Zealand

The Lightbox, Woking, Surrey, UK

Umea City Collection, Umea, Sweden

Umedalen Sculpture Park, Umea, Sweden

University of Virginia Art Museum, Charlottesville, VA, USA

Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield, UK

Woking Borough Council, Woking Surrey, UK

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Selected Solo Exhibitions

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2020     “Waiting For The Sun” Osborne Samuel, 23 Dering Street, Mayfair, London W1 (November)

2019     Sean Henry Sculpture/Drawings, Galleri Andersson Sandstrom, Stockholm, Sweden

2017      Face to Face: The Figurative Art of Sean Henry, The Lightbox Museum & Gallery, Woking UK

2016      Time Being: Osborne Samuel Gallery, Mayfair, London 

                Das Geprüfte Leben / The Examined Life: Kulturzentrum Englische Kirche, Bad Homburg, Germany

                Das Geprüfte Leben / The Examined Life: Galerie Scheffel, Bad Homburg, Germany

2016    Here and Now, LKFF Art & Sculpture Projects, Brussels, Belgium

             The English Church, Galerie Scheffle, Bad Homburg, Germany

             Sean Henry: Osborne Samuel, Mayfair, London UK

2015    Sean Henry: Forum Gallery, New York, US

             Hessenpark Museum | Bliackachsen 10, Nue-Anspach, Germany 

             Saalburg Museum | Blickachsen 10, Bad Homburg, Germany 

2014    Sean Henry | Galerie Andersson Sandstrom, Stockholm, Sweden 

             Sleeper: LKFF Art & Sculpture Projects, Brussels, Belgium 

2013    SEAN HENRY: Glyndebourne Opera House, Sussex, England

2012    THE WAY IT IS: Osborne Samuel Gallery, London

2011    CONFLUX: A Union of the Sacred and the Anonymous, Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury, UK
2010    Sean Henry Sculpture, Forum Gallery, New York, US
2010    Sean Henry Sculpture, Gallery Andersson Sandstrom, Sweden
2008    New Sculpture and Drawing, Osbourne Samuel Gallery, London
2007    Presence: Galerie Andersson Sandstrom, Umea, Sweden
2007    Presence: Galerie Von Braunbehrens, Munich, Germany
2006    You're Not The Same, Forum Gallery, New York and Los Angeles 
2006    Sean Henry: Sculpture, Cartwright Hall, Bradford, UK
2005    Sculpture and Drawings, Kunsthandel Frans Jacobs, Amsterdam, Holland
2004    Sculpture in the Workplace, Canary Wharf, London 
2004    Here and Now, Berkeley Square Gallery, London
2002    Sculpture & Drawings, Forum Gallery, New York and Los Angeles
2001    Sculpture & Drawings, Berkeley Square Gallery, London
1999    A Pilgrimage, Davies & Tooth, London , UK (Villiers David Prize Exhibition)
1998    The Centre of the Universe Circolo Degli Artisti, Faenza, Italy.
1997    Up Against it Air Gallery, London. 
1995    New Sculpture and Drawings John Natsoulas Gallery, California, USA.
1994    The Flip-side of Dominic Hyde Holdsworth Gallery, Sydney, Australia.
1988    Inner Visions 2,Michaelson & Orient Gallery, London.

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Selected Group Exhibitions

2020     Galerie von Braunbehrens, Stuttgart, Germany

2019     BODY + Soul, Canary Wharf, London

2018     Revelation of the Head: Messums Gallery, Wiltshire, UK

              Gallery Artists, Osborne Samuel Gallery, Mayfair,                            London

2017     Viva Scultura Viva! Galleri Andersson Sandström,                          Stockholm, Sweden

             (Three person show with Maria Miesenberger and                         Jaume Plensa)

2016     Human: Messums Gallery, Wiltshire, UK

               Visionary Artists of the 21st Century, Forum Gallery,                     New York

               15/140: Galleri Andersson Sandström, Umea, Sweden

2016    Rarity Summer Contemporary 2016 , Rarity Gallery,                     Mykonos , Greece

             15/140, Galerie Andersson Sandstrom, Umea, Sweden

2015    In Kleinen Format, Galerie Scheffel, Bad Homburg, Germany

             The Armory Show: Osborne Samuel, Pier 92, New York, USA

             TEFAF: Kunsthandel Frans Jacobs, Masstricht, Holland

2014    Committed to Paper: Master Drawings and Prints by Sculptors, Frederik Meijer Sculpture Park, USA

             Ladies First: Galerie Von Braunbehrens, Munich, Germany

             Spring Masters: Osborne Samuel, New York, USA

             TEFAF: Kunsthandel Frans Jacobs, Masstricht, Holland

             SCOPE: Kunsthandel Frans Jacobs, Basel, Switzerland

2013    Art Miami, Osborne Samuel, Florida, USA

             In Kleinen Format, Galerie Scheffel, Bad Homburg, Germany

             Heavy Metal and Stones, Galleri Andersson/ Sandstrom, Umea, Sweden

             BLICKACHSEN 9, Galerie Scheffel, Bad Homburg, Germany

             Summer Salon Show, Rarity Gallery, Mykonos, Greece

             SCOPE, Frans Jacobs Fine Art, Basel, Switzerland

2012    Presence, LKFF Art & Sculpture Projects, Brussels, Belgium

             Interesting Times, University of Leicester, Harold Martin Botanic Garden, Leicester, UK

             Art Miami, Florida, USA

2013    Rarity Summer Salon Show, Rarity Gallery, Mykonos

2012    Rarity Summer Salon Show, Rarity Gallery, Mykonos

2011    Rarity Summer Salon Show, Rarity Gallery, Mykonos
2010    Rarity Summer Salon Show, Rarity Gallery, Mykonos
2010    Eigse 30 Year Visual Arts Retrospective, Carlow Town, Ireland
2010    Luminality, Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury, UK
2010    Summer Exhibition, Osbourne Samuel Gallery, London
2010    Modern Paintings, Drawing and Sculpture, Forum Gallery, New York, US
2010    20/21 British Art Fair, Royal College of Art, London, UK
2009    British Sculpture, Osbourne Samuel Gallery, London
2009    London Art Fair, Osbourne Samuel, London, UK
2008    Internationella Skulpturfestival, Boras, Sweden
2007    Gates of Multiplicity, Regents Park, London, England
2006    Gallerie Stefan Anderson, Umea, Sweden
2006    Umedalen Skulpturepark, Umea, Sweden
2006    Tefaf Maastricht (Kunsthandel Frans Jacobs)
2006    Palm Beach Modern & Contemporary Art Fair, Florida,

             USA (Osborne Samuel - formerly Berkeley Square Gallery)
2006    Art Miami, Florida, USA (Osborne Samuel - formerly Berkeley Square Gallery)
2005    Golden Square, London
2005    Sculpture, Soloman Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
2005    Eigse Festival, Carlow Ireland
2004    Canary Wharf, London Le Meridien Cumberland Hotel, Marble Arch, London
2004    Art Chicago (Berkeley Square Gallery)
2004    Palm Beach Modern & Contemporary Art Fair, Florida, USA (Berkeley Square Gallery)
2004    Art Miami, Florida, USA (Berkeley Square Gallery)
2004    Sculpture at Goodwood
2004    Durham Sculpture Show
2003    Lower Grainger Street, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
2003    Art Miami, Florida, USA (Berkeley Square Gallery)
2002    Paddington Central Development. London River and Rowing Museum, Henley-On-Thames, Oxfordshire
2002    'Thinking Big' Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice (Sept 2002- Feb 2003)
2002    'About Face', Croydon Clocktower Museum, UK (Oct 2002 - Jan 2003)
2002    Art Chicago & Art Miami, USA (Berkeley Square Gallery)
2002    Palm Beach Modern & Contemporary Art Fair, Florida, USA (Berkeley Square Gallery)
2001    Salon de Mars, Geneva, Switzerland (Berkeley Square Gallery)
2001    Art Miami, Florida, USA (Berkeley Square Gallery)
2001    Palm Beach Modern & Contemporary Art Fair, Florida,

             USA (Berkeley Square Gallery and Forum Gallery
2000    Art Chicago (Forum Gallery)
2000    Art 2000, London, UK (Berkeley Square Gallery)
2000    Palm Beach Modern & Contemporary Art Fair, Florida, USA (Berkeley Square Gallery)
2000    Classicismi Metropolitani, Rome, Italy Art Miami Florida, USA (with Berkeley Square Gallery)
1999    Artists of Fame and Promise Beaux Arts, Bath, UK.
1999    Glasgow Art Fair ?99, Scotland.
1999    Art ?99 London, UK.
1999    Group Show Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, USA.
1998    Art ?98 London, UK.