Guy Reid's realistic sculptures that look like Marvel superheroes or plastic children's toys

Reid’s skill as a carver is very much on display with these pieces, each sculpture acutely rendered in his signature realist approach. The presence of several new nude works also shows his continued interest in the human form.

The point of departure from his current oeuvre is in his almost monochromatic application of colour to illuminate his chosen subject. Reid’s use of single tones, and a palette that is as far removed as is possible from what we would consider naturalistic, at once emphasises the draughtsmanship in his work and brings his sculptures into the realm of the abstract. It is this perceived dichotomy that presents an exciting challenge for the viewer, and demonstrates Reid’s confidence as an artist.

With this shift we are also invited to consider new emergent themes in Reid’s work: Claude Lége, Director of the Musée de Patrimone à Barthete de Boussan, remarks that there are parallels to be drawn between Reid’s new sculptures and ‘the resin casts of Marvel superheroes, or plastic children’s toys…"The resulting body of work is healthy and robust where humour is present, but does not exclude thought or transcendence".

This attracts the question of how Reid’s day-to-day role as a parent – he became a father in 2012 – influences his work. Reid has often spoken about how his artistic practice and daily life shape and inform each other. It is not hard therefore to see how the significance of being a caregiver and the accompanying paraphernalia of a child’s world may well have had an impact, not only on a deeply personal level but also on his methodology and resulting work.

Arisen will take place 9 - 27 October 2017 at the Coningsby Gallery. More information can be found at coningsbygallery.com.