Chris Jackson uses a mix of recycled materials to create sculptures and installations which chart a process of alchemical change and everyday wonder. These ephemeral, ersatz worlds are made from the slow accretion of mundane fragments which evolve in unexpected ways to produce a kind of ruined Arcadia. Together with historical motifs these assemblages explore notions of value and memory and present a complex space in which the audience is encouraged to invest.

An ongoing theme within Chris’s work is the abandoned vessel or vehicle often lying ruined or buried in some subterranean or domestic setting, awaiting fresh occupants for possible journeys beyond the confines of the gallery. From statues to spaceships each with their embellished, encrusted surfaces these lumpen, transitory forms convey a sense of un-formed, un-realisable desires and sensations. They act as tools or props for a future expedition into some distant yet familiar realm.

Chris is a Norwich-based artist who co-ordinates arts projects across the UK for a broad range of audiences. His practice emphasises public-facing access and engagement through residencies and workshops, and often features large-scale displays and interventions in a variety of settings like museums, street spaces and other urban environments.