Discipline
Abstract
Architectural / Monumental / Relief
Material
Bronze
Fiberglass/Plastic/Resin
Iron
Metal (other)
Steel
Wood/Paper
Region
South East
Biography
Known for his monumental, architecturally inspired works, Jeff Lowe's sculpture demonstrates an intense engagement with material, surface and design. A student of 'The New Generation' of British sculptors that emerged in the 1960's, Lowe studied at the Saint Martin's School of Art between 1971-75, under the esteemed tutelage of William Tucker, Philip King and Anthony Caro. As such, he inherited the New Generation's experimentation of industrial materials, along with an interest in releasing the sculpture from the confines of the plinth so that it could inhabit the viewer's personal space.
"Jeff Lowe's sculpture and drawings speak the universal language of sculpture" William Tucker
Jeff Lowe came to prominence at the age of 21, whilst still a student at Saint Martin's, through his first solo exhibition at the prestigious Leicester Galleries in London's Cork Street in 1974, before going onto represent Britain at the Paris Biennale. He was awarded the Sainsbury Award in 1973, and the Pollock-Krasner in 1993.
A prolific and experimental maker, Lowe's more recent output has seen his sculpture shed its bulk to reveal its armature. These large scale works do not imply a narrative, neither fictional or mythological, not are they rooted in a contemporaneous commentary: they are constructions and at their core remain architectural in spirit.
"By their own weight and presence, Lowe's sculptures oblige us to consider the strength of the floor or the wall that supports them, the space that surrounds them and the fall of light through windows and doors which facilitate our experience of them" Eric Moody
Jeff Lowe has taught at Reading University; Canterbury College of Art, London and the advanced course at Central Saint Martins. His significant exhibitions include Hayward Gallery, London; Serpentine Gallery, London; Peggy Guggenheim, Venice; Ikon Gallery, Birmingham; Galerie Josine Bockhoven, Amsterdam; Robert Steele Gallery, New York; Bodo Niemann Gallery, Berlin; Musee D'art Moderne, France; The National Gallery of Australia and the Henry Moore Institute, Leeds. Lowe lives and works in both London and the Algarve, Portugal.