craig hudson

Craig Hudson’s sculpture plays with confusion and contradiction. He subverts the expectations of bronze, a medium that has been used to depict classical characters from Greek and Roman mythology, with their perfect and immortal forms. His figures are human and flawed, with a mix of naivety and vulnerability, strength and capability. They have oversized hands and life-size trainers that contrast with their roughly modelled faces and downcast posture. His juxtapositions are fascinating and unsettling.

He combines elements modelled in clay with others cast directly from real objects, such as his own hands or shoes, a balloon or a beach ball. These objects are ephemeral and fragile, but in bronze they become durable and lasting. He also adds vibrant colour to his works, which is uncommon for bronze sculptures. His works challenge the expectations of the medium and create a sense of wonder and curiosity.

Hudson’s figures are influenced by Auguste Rodin’s example of expressive and dynamic sculpture, as well as by the social politics and graffiti sources of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s work. He also draws inspiration from the rebellion and confrontation of artists such as Gavin Turk, Franko B and Chris Buden.  

Hudson’s work, like the artist, is quiet and yet cool, immersed in popular culture references that are instantly engaging. Hudson was a skater, loved and still loves Star Wars, the emblems of his passions adorn his studio and creep into his work. Ultimately, his sculpture suggests, post-human bodies are now the new normal, relevant in only a fantasy land.