The Deflatables

Location

Country: USA
City: Washington DC
Place: British Embassy

A truncated pair of partially-deflated forms are caught in a power struggle. The pair, both partial copies of Polykleitos’ 'Doryphoros', demonstrate a mutual anxiety around their own validity. In his work, John Rainey explores systems of hierarchy between copies, and the complex relationships between the histories of sculpture, manufacturing and materials. He works with Parian porcelain which he manipulates until it becomes rubber-like, thus subverting its precious quality.

John Rainey (born 1985) is a sculptor based in Belfast. Since graduating from the Royal College of Art, London (2012), he has undertaken residencies at the British School at Rome (2018) and Konstfack, University of Arts, Crafts and Design, Stockholm (2013). His work has been exhibited in solo and group presentations. Selected exhibitions include: AWARD (British Ceramics Biennial) 2019 and Dissolving Histories, Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast (2017). He was the winner of the Royal Hibernian Academy’s Morgan O’Driscoll Sculpture Award 2020 and shortlisted for the RHA’s RSCI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) Art Award for his work ‘Deflatables’ Black/Yellow.

Places

Subjects

human figure, man

Materials & Techniques

ceramic, porcelain, Porcelain bust, ceramic sculpture, parian porcelain

Artist

John Rainey (1985 - )

Title

The Deflatables

Date

2019

Medium

porcelain

Dimensions

height: 45.0 cm; width: 60.0 cm; depth: 22.5 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from the artist March 2021, through the Art XUK project 2020-21

Inscription

Left sculpture: Reverse base: top right corner - 'JR 19' Right sculpture: reverse base: top right corner - 'JR 19'

Provenance

The artist; from whom purchased by UK Government Art Collection, 18 March 2021

GAC number

18922