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Comment: The article needs more citations to establish notability. Many sections of the draft are unsourced, for example, Early life & education, Career/artistic styles and influences, Notable works, Exhibitions, Public works. Netherzone (talk) 19:55, 4 October 2024 (UTC)
Alexander Augustus (born 1988) is a British visual artist known for his work in sculpture, film, and interactive media. His art often explores themes of social and political issues, technology, and the human condition. He gained recognition for his "A Dangerous Figure" series and the "OH MY GOD" sculpture and film projects. Augustus held his first major solo exhibition at Somerset House in London at the age of 24.[1]
Early Life and Education
editAlexander Augustus was born in Cardiff, Wales, in 1988. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, UK. He then completed a Master of Arts at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. Augustus furthered his education with a Master of Education from Darwin College, Cambridge at the University of Cambridge. As of 2023, he is a doctoral candidate at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Career
editArtistic Style and Influences
editAugustus's work is characterized by the integration of technology and interactive media with traditional art forms. He often addresses contemporary social and political issues, such as youth unemployment, identity, and the impact of technology on society. His projects frequently involve community participation and utilize advanced technologies like computer vision and digital fabrication.
Critics have noted that his work challenges conventional boundaries between artist and audience, encouraging viewers to become active participants. His use of user-generated content and interactive installations reflects a commitment to democratizing art and giving voice to underrepresented groups.
The Bite Back Movement
editIn 2012, Augustus co-founded The Bite Back Movement, a visual art studio, with Korean artist Seung Youn Lee.[2] The duo has created artworks and conducted workshops across the UK, Germany, and South Korea. They have lectured at institutions such as Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).[3]
A Dangerous Figure
editIn 2013, Augustus launched "A Dangerous Figure," an interactive artwork exhibited initially at Somerset House in London, opposite the UK Houses of Parliament.[1] The project aimed to highlight rising youth unemployment and the prevalence of unpaid internships in the UK.[4] Utilizing custom-built computer vision technology, the artwork compiled selfies from unemployed UK youths under the age of 30 to create a user-generated portrait representing the demographic.[2] Augustus described the project as "rebranding young unemployment," shifting the narrative from statistics to the human stories behind them.[3] The portrait saw participation from over 7,000 individuals in its peak week and was subsequently archived by the National Portrait Gallery.[5]
Political commentator Owen Jones contributed to the project, emphasizing the long-term impacts of youth unemployment: "Youth unemployment is a robbery. If you're unemployed at a young age, you're more likely to be without work at a later age, and to have lower wages for the rest of your life: 'scarring,' they call it. That's why we need to give young unemployed a voice, to organize people so we can transform lives, and to give people hope."[3]
Notable Works
edit- OH MY GOD Series (2014): A sculpture and film series exploring themes of belief, future societies, and the intersection of technology and spirituality. Exhibited at Seoul Culture Station 284 in South Korea and in London.
- The Shamans of Neo-Joseon (2015): A series including "The Crown of Grandmother Samshin," displayed at the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju, South Korea. The work reimagines traditional Korean shamanistic practices through a futuristic lens, commenting on cultural preservation amid rapid technological advancement.
- Public Sculptures: Augustus has several public works installed internationally, including "The Birds Who Stayed" (2017) at Zentrum für Kunst und Urbanistik (ZK/U) in Berlin, Germany, and "Meleagris Live Free or Die" (2022) at The Factory on Willow in Manchester, New Hampshire, USA.
Exhibitions
editSolo Exhibitions
edit- 2022: POWER, Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA), South Korea.
- 2022: Alexander in Mimesis, The Factory on Willow, Manchester, New Hampshire, USA.
- 2021: Power from the Blazing Stone, Cornish Lithium / Deep Earth Synergies, Cornwall, UK.
- 2017: The Birds Who Stayed & The Birds Who Left, Zentrum für Kunst und Urbanistik, Berlin, Germany.
- 2016: TIME SPACE GHOST MONEY, Gallery G2, Incheon Art Platform, South Korea.
- 2015: Mu-Dang: The Korean Shaman in the Year 2100 AD, CAN Foundation, Seoul, South Korea.
- 2013: A Dangerous Figure, Somerset House, London, UK.
Group Exhibitions
edit- 2024: Human Augmentation Summit, MIT Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
- 2019: Sculpture: Modern and Contemporary, Beaux Arts Gallery, London, UK.
- 2016: International Artists Exhibition, Seoul Art Space Geumcheon, South Korea.
- 2015: Plastic Myth, Asia Culture Centre opening exhibition, Gwangju, South Korea.
- 2013: TRACTION: Eurostar Music Festival, in collaboration with Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design.
Public Works
edit- Meleagris Live Free or Die (2022): Five steel sculptures installed at The Factory on Willow, Manchester, New Hampshire, USA.
- The Birds Who Stayed (2017): Two steel sculptures at ZK/U Berlin, Germany.
- Orchogany: 11 Gods Reborn (2016): Eleven steel sculptures at Incheon Art Platform, South Korea.
- The Crown of Grandmother Samshin (2015): Steel sculpture at Asia Culture Centre, Gwangju, South Korea.
- Here at the Beginning, There at the End: The Pollock God of Cheongju (2015): Permanent installation at Cheongju Cultural Foundation, South Korea.
See Also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Alexander Augustus: A Dangerous Figure | Art in London".
- ^ a b Souppouris, Aaron (2013-07-25). "'A Dangerous Figure': this is the face of Britain's unemployed youth". The Verge. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ a b c "A Dangerous Figure". Don't Panic UK. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ Mills, Jack (2013-08-20). "A Dangerous Figure". Frieze. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ Dickinson, Bob (February 2014). "Bob Dickinson on art and unemployment Alexander Augustus & The Bite Back Movement". Art Monthly (373): Features 02.