“For the past few years I have felt that my work revolves around the relationship between the chaos of nature and the ordered structure of humanity, or alternatively, the structure of the natural world and the chaos of humanity. I want to highlight the ways this clash can create new imaginative works that make us consider our difficult, beautiful and complicated relationship to our past and future.”
Richard Nik Evans uses sculpture, installation, sound, writing, and film as a gateway to a rarefied metaphysical realm where the natural environment rushes up against our subjective conscious existence.
His work emerges from a philosophical exploration of his personal connection to nature and, in turn, human nature. Through his conceptual approach to materials and dynamic interpretation of sculpture, he creates poetic, melancholic, and otherworldly pieces.
The early stage of every project is characterised by research and experimenting with unique materials bringing a contemporary perspective to the traditional themes of sculpture, especially materials, time, technique, structure, and form. He holds a deep fascination for traditional craftsmanship and the enduring legacy of classical forms that have evolved over centuries.
Through his research, he delves into various esoteric subjects from the past, including sacred geometry, folk art, fairy tales, popular mythology, ancient landscapes, panpsychism, ritual and ceremony. He reinterprets these subjects with a contemporary perspective on nature, science, sociology, popular culture and technology, crafting original works that challenge our perceptions of memory and identity.
The works are alchemical metaphors, poems, and psychological games. Often made in series or ‘albums’, they offer a unique perspective into speculative worlds presenting interconnected ideas that blend natural references with supernatural possibilities.