Mark Rode
Mark Rode is an Australian sculptor living and working in Ireland. In 1988 he moved to London where he worked as a sculptor's assistant and as a guide at the Henry Moore Sculpture Foundation. He travelled around Europe, seeking out artists, museums and sculptures all the while learning and sketching.
Returning to London, he worked in a large fine art foundry and then moved to the west of Irleand where he set up his own studio and foundry.
Artist's Statement
Sculpture has fascinated me since I was a small child. When my mother enrolled me into a pottery class I came home with small animals modelled from clay. When I walk into a room or walk down a street or through a park my eyes are immediately drawn to interestingly shaped objects. Whether they are formed by nature, machine or by an artist's hands the mystery and power of the object continues to attract and challenge me to unlock it's secrets. What is it about some objects that almost demand attention? It is not expert craftsmanship and attention to detail. These aspects of course have their value but it is something less defined and less tangible that creates real presence and mystery in an object.
Some ancient carvings from the dawn of civilization have such powerful energy that the viewer cannot ignore. This energy can also be seen occasionally in a work by an untrained artist with basic equipment. I chase this intangible quality in my work. I have studied art, anatomy, proportion and bronze casting techniques in Australia and Europe and can create a perfectly modelled figure in bronze but it may be completely lacking in the energy and virtues that I want to project. I have come to realize that qualities such as empathy, subtlety and a desire by the artist to connect to the viewer are more important. Of course I believe in self expression of the artist but it is a largely egotistical exercise if the viewer is not involved in the dialogue. I try to engage and connect to the viewer by offering a perspective and posing a question through my sculpture.
