David Dudgeon is an artist and sculptor based in Bangor, Northern Ireland. His works range from steel sculpted public artworks to more personal works in pencil, acrylic and oil.
Flowing lines of steel
David's interest in steel is rooted in his earliest experiences watching machinery solutions being created on his family farm in Monaghan. "We were constantly modifying or developing equipment to adapt to new challenges” he recalls. “from an early age I was involved in operating, repairing and making machinery. I was surrounded by steel, and fascinated at its endless potential”.
Form elevates function
Alongside this early experience of fabrication sat David’s passion for art. This led naturally to a BA in Product Design at the University of Ulster, followed by an MA in Applied Art. David’s conviction that “There’s no reason why functional objects can’t also be beautiful objects” drove him to made his mark creating original, unique, gravity defying furniture. Everyday household objects are re-imagined under his hand into whimsical pieces, with curvilinear aesthetic, in wood and steel.
Creating Poetic Spaces
On leaving art college, David’s ambition for reinvigorating living space widened focus from furniture, to the built environment, breathing life into derelict buildings. “I could see so many playful ways to integrate my art practice into the very bricks and mortar of the houses needing renovation. At a time when my contemporary graduates were struggling to make a living as an artist, it seemed a viable way to generate income indirectly through my art. Alongside it I knew I could push on with my sculptural work, which I did for several years, through a number of public and private commissions.”
Recent work
“More recently I’m finding myself drawn back to the basics of drawing and painting. But it’s become clear to me that all my work is influenced by my steel work, I see drawing in terms of solid lines and shapes in continuous contact.”
