Mark Reddy’s expressive sculptures with their profound sense of place and unique visual poetry possess both recognisable elements and cultural signifiers whilst simultaneously exploring the natural properties of wood. Resembling three-dimensional line drawings, his singular forms and composite assemblages are poised, just on the point of balance, held in delicate tension between motion and statis. Mark Reddy looks to nature for the roots of our co-evolution, sourcing organic materials on daily walks along the lost ways through the woodlands of Somerset, England. A modern-day gatherer and storyteller, he is drawn to the found, reimagined through the subtle intervention of the artist’s hand. A branch of oak wood – shaped through carving, forming, joining, and treating with mordant, oil, and pigment – retains the spirit of its origin while gaining both a powerful physical presence and metaphorical meaning. With a deft sensitivity to lineand gesture, Reddy draws out these strange figurative, animate forms, part nature, part artifice. For the artist the final compositions hold deep significance. Placed in pairs or familial groupings, each work appears in conversation with another, asking to be heard. Both angular and elegantly curved, they embody an apparent fragility and a primal energy. Through the work, Reddy explores a complex narrative borne out of a deep connection between material, process and land. Reframing our reciprocal relationship with the tree and our woodlands, as both terrestrial and otherworldly, Reddy reflects on the fragility of all living things and the disruption of our natural environment. He considers how the tree shapes our land and heritage, honouring our kinship and equality with the natural world. Reddy’s focus on wood art stems from an early fascination with the simple, functional form of the hand carved spoon - with all its cultural symbolism and its sculptural elements of head, neck, shoulders and torso. The iconic shape of this utilitarian object has become an integral part of our everyday culture over the course of history, symbolising ritual and kinship, ceremony and provision. Reddy's sculptures abstract the archaic object into vivid totems that – individually or as an ensemble – reflect the interconnectedness and presence of the natural world. Mark Reddy studied at the Central School of Art in London before working as an illustrator and creative director in design, print, and television, gaining international recognition. Throughout his career, he has been compelled to make, giving form and voice to organic materials. His work has been exhibited at The Study in London, Open Eye Gallery in Edinburgh, Primavera in Cambridge, Make Hauser & Wirth in Bruton, Somerset, London and Southampton, New York. Awards include D&AD Awards, Creative Circle Awards, British Television Awards, and the Creative Circle Presidents’ Lifetime Achievement Award.