Richard Woods – Flora & Fauna

Exhibitions

28 June - 21 September 2008

This exhibition presented new work by Richard Woods. It was his first solo exhibition in a British public gallery.

Woods has a long-running history of architectural intervention and transformation. He is known for his all-encompassing installations of hand-printed wood-cut floors and elevations, which have been presented in a variety of contexts, from a British stately home to a Venetian courtyard, and from public buildings or private apartments to international boutique stores. In his work, Woods explores the relationship between ‘functionality’ and ‘decoration’, with motifs varying from simple, repetitive red brick work to intricate floral designs, or pastiches of historical styles and artistic movements; Tudor, 18th century Baroque or as in this exhibition, the legacy of Modernism.

In conjunction with a remarkable wood-cut printed floor, which occupied the entire ground floor of the Gallery, Woods presented a selection of recent sculptures, new wall-based ceramic works and large scale marquetry panels.

This exhibition included a striking commission for the Gallery exterior which cloaked the building in a repeat pattern of imaginary corporate logos devised by the artist, and together his distinctive hand-made aesthetic with the generic language of brand advertising.

The exhibition was accompanied by an exclusive limited edition cotton shopping bag designed by Richard Woods.

The related public events included a series of talks exploring contemporary design, holiday workshops for all ages and a Family Day.