Studied at Kingston College of Art
Rowan Gillespie was born in Dublin in 1953 and moved shortly after to Cyprus, but after the civil war broke out his family moved to York in the North of England. He studied at the York School of Art in 1968 and also in 1970 he studied at the Kingston College of Art in London. It was here that he first met and was inspired by renowned sculptor Henry Moore. Rowan now lives and works in Dublin where he has built his own studio, workshop and foundry.
View “Solstice” within the Collection
Solstice by Rowan Gillespie
View “In Awe” within the Collection
In Awe by Rowan Gillespie
Unique to the Bronze Casting Community
Gillespie works completely on his own from concept through to the finished 3D Sculpture, this is what sets him apart from most of the bronze casting community; as he has taken the time to painstakingly learn all of the processes involved from moulding and casting to finishing. Being influenced by the sculptor Henry Moore and the painter Edvard Munch, Gillespie creates physical narratives that reflect on aspects of the human condition. He uses the lost wax casting process to create his pieces and has worked almost exclusively on site-specific art since 1996.
“ …to be one man alone in a workshop with nothing more than the notion of an idea, then to start bending and welding, covering in clay and wax, changing, forming, deforming, reforming, discovering something, loving it and hating it, days and weeks of journeying, Then the moulding, baking, melting, lifting and shoveling, sweating, exhaustion and exhilaration until almost abruptly, one day, there is something….”- Rowan Gillespie
Biography
- York School of Art, 1970
- Kingston College of Art and Kunst og Handverk Skole, Oslo, 1973
- Solo Exhibitions in Dublin, York, London, Belfast, New York, Cannes, Los Angeles, Stockholm and in particular, exhibitions with Galerie Husstege, Holland: Solomon Gallery, Dublin: Johnathan Poole Gallery, London, 1977- 1986
- Regularly Exhibited in group exhibitions, theme exhibitions, international art fairs and art festivals, 1982 – 1997
- Moved away from exhibition work to concentrate on commissioned work, site-specific work and public sculpture, 1997
- 2nd Swiss Triennale of Sculpture, Bad Ragaz, Switzerland, 2003
- Hosted outdoor sculpture exhibition in conjunction with Solomon Gallery, Dublin, 2005
- Awarded honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from the Regis University in Denver, 2007
- Elected on to the board of Irish Museum of Modern Art, 2011
Public Sculpture and Major Commissions
- Judgement, University College Dublin, 2013
- Origin, Schaan, Liechtenstein, 2013
- Solstice, Wexford, 2013
- The Irish Literary Nobel Laureates, Boston, 2012
- Titanica, Belfast, 2012
- Fisken, Haukvika, Norway, 2011
- Lust, Vaduz, Liechtenstein, 2011
- Libby of Liechtenstein, Schaan, Liechtenstein, 2010
- Jersey Girl, St. Helier, Jersey, 2010
- The Ages of Man, West Lake Village, California, 2010
- L’Eta Della Donna, Treviso, Italy, 2009
- Lazy Lady, Schaan, Liechtenstein, 2008
- Proclamation, Kilmainham, Dublin, 2007
- Migrants, Ireland Park, Toronto, 2007
- Looking for Orion, Liechtenstein, 2005
- Gerard Manley Hopkins, Regis University, Col. 2004
- Looking Together, Liechtenstein, 2003
- Christ, Kylemore Abbey, Connemara, 2003
- Band of Contemplation, Dromore, Co. Tyrone, 2003
- Three Musicians, Alias Hotel Seattle, Brighton, 2003
- Men of Iron, Steam Boat Springs, Colorado, 2002
- Arrival, Toronto, 2002
- The Dutch Dolmen, Boxmeer, Holland, 2001
- Looking to Sea, Malahide, Co. Dublin, 2001
- Looking at the Moon, Gouda, Holland, 2001
- Ripples II, Regis University, Colorado, 2001
- Ripples of Ulysses, Merrion Hotel, Dublin, 2000
- Ambition, Gimbrere en Dhomen, Rotterdam, 1999
- Homage, Scotsdale, Arizona, 1998
- Birdy, Crescent Hall, Mount Street, Dublin, 1997
- Famine, Custom House Quay, Dublin, 1997
- Solon’s Law, Politie Brabant-Noord, Holland, 1996
- Pater and Ned, Sandyford Village, Dublin, 1996
- Enigma, kelly’s Hotel, Rosslare, Co. Wexford, 1996
- Aspiration, The Treasury Building, Dublin, 1995
- The Minsterls, Cheeseman Park, Denver, 1993
- The Herald, St. Vincent’s Centre, Dublin, 1992
- The Singer, Cruises Street, Limerick, 1992
- The Age of freedom, University College, Dublin, 1991
- The Cycle of Life, Steamboat Springs, Colorado, 1991
- The Kiss, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin, 1990
- W. B. Yeats, Sligo, 1990
- Cashel dancers, Bru Boru, Cashel, 1990
- Blackrock Dolmen, Blackrock, Dublin, 1988
Collections
- National Self Portrait Collection
- National Maternity Hospital
- Irish Museum of Modern Art
- The Friend of the National collection of Ireland
- Bang & Olufsen, Holland
- Allied Irish Bank
- Bank of Ireland
- O’ Brian and Harrington, San Francisco
- The Brian P. Burns Collection
- The Burns Library, Boston College
- Office of Public Works
- Industrial Development Authority
- Wexford County Council
Contact Information
Website: http://www.rowangillespie.com/index.html