Austin Bennet was born in 1942. Originally trained as a dancer, he was a member of the Royal Ballet Company until 1965. He began to sculpt in 1972 since when the main thrust of his work has always been towards a free interpretation of the human form. His early works were frequently remarked upon for their compelling sense of movement and strong, almost simian, form. This underlying strength has continued through to his work today where allusions to the human form are readily seen in more abstracted forms inspired by natural objects.
Sculptures by austin bennett
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Austin Bennett`s Biography
Originally trained as a dancer, I was a member of the Royal Ballet Company until 1965 when I left after an unsuccessful knee operation. I then worked in the music industry, holding senior and top management positions within EMI before my departure to concentrate fully on sculpting in 1982. I had first begun to sculpt ten years earlier, exploring the demands and requirements of working in three dimensions through a succession of figurative pieces modelled in clay. Discovering the qualities of plaster as a sculpting material coincided with a decisive move away from strict representation and contributed to an interpretation of subjects in a much more free and spontaneous manner. It remains my preferred medium.
Controlled, figurative commissions apart, the main thrust of my work centres upon a free interpretation of the human form. Even in some of my most recent pieces where I`ve been concerned with trying to imbue natural and organic objects with living qualities, I`ve been unable to jettison this focus and inert forms have metamorphosed inevitably into ones that have recognisably human characteristics. The work of other sculptors and artists, past and present, has always interested and stimulated me and, although I`ve never consciously followed an established path, it would be strange if this admiration and interest did not manifest itself somehow in my own sculptures. In this respect, I am intrigued but content that my work is often described as `very English.` Another frequent observation is that there is something `animal` about my forms (some were once enthusiastically described as `simian` by a Swiss critic) and I`m quite happy (and flattered!) about that, too. My approach has always been instinctive and my aim a simple one; to suggest and emphasise, rather than replicate, aspects and actions of the human body. This straightforward, conventional aim of using space, volume and texture to produce an object that communicates, without narrative, is a constant personal challenge, unlimited in scope and mostly elusive.
During the 1980`s my work was exhibited in a number of galleries in the UK and abroad, including The Royal Academy, Beaux Arts (Bristol), Jonathan Poole Fine Art (UK, USA and Sweden), The Alwyn Gallery in London and Gallerie de l`Eglantine in Lausanne. After an extended period during which I worked mainly to commission I returned to exhibiting with a solo show at the Gateway Arts Centre in Shrewsbury in 2004. I then collaborated with the dance photographer, Angela Taylor, on exhibitions at Gallery DNA in Burton-on-Trent and the Lewis Elton Gallery at The University of Surrey and contributed to the inaugural exhibition of HQ Contemporary Art in Lewes. I have always undertaken portrait commissions and collections that have examples of my work in this genre include The National Portrait Gallery, Harewood House and The Royal Opera House. My bust of Viscount Bearstead was commissioned by Shell International and unveiled by Her Majesty the Queen as part of their centenary celebrations.
