Richard Perry works in a variety of materials but has a particular affinity with stone, and the focus of his practice is stone sculpture. His practice juxtaposes measured geometric and organic freeform sculpture to create illusory forms that break free from an underlying rationale. On a technical level, his work requires a balance of intuitive judgment and premeditated design. He uses a direct carving approach: composing and ruthlessly editing as he goes along, thinking several steps ahead. In some ways it’s like playing a game of chess, as one wrong move can cost him days trying to recover the sculpture, but a series of right moves can lead to the magic of a successful piece; conversely, sometimes the rescue is where the magic happens.
The work has its own logic, and he has to enter its realm. That said, he draws background inspiration from the built environment and from nature, including rock and tree formations, and from thinking about wider environmental concerns. He is particularly drawn to the geometries of architecture and structure found in post-industrial areas and edgelands.
Perry is currently working on an ongoing series of geometric and organic sculptures, primarily in Blue Irish Limestone. It’s an arresting stone that fits perfectly with his vocabulary of light and shadow, and he is still perpetually excited and intrigued by the possibilities of this stone after more than a decade. He also enjoys working in Carrara marble and English alabaster as well as painted sculpture. He often exhibits drawings and paintings alongside his sculptures: his 2D work both inspires and reflects ongoing concerns within his sculptural works.