HENLEY-ON-THAMES.- Henley Festival, the UK’s most glamorous boutique festival, and winner of Headline Performance of the Year in 2016 returns to its spectacular setting on the riverbank in Henley-on-Thames from 11th-15th July 2018. Set against the scenic riverside backdrop of the Henley Festival grounds, some of the UK’s most engaging contemporary artists will be displaying large-scale sculptures, immersive outdoor light installations, and a series of pop-up galleries. This is the only festival of its kind to exhibit commercial artwork along with music, comedy, food, and more.
This year’s visual arts line up is more exciting than ever before with works from the prolific Turner prize nominated artist and sculptor David Mach, as well as one of the world’s most celebrated landscape photographers, Charlie Waite. Alongside these two legendary artists, there will also be work from sculptor Rosamond Lloyd, Nik Burns, the innovative digital art collective LightWeight, and many more.
David Mach, a Royal Academician will be exhibiting his showstopping sculptures and paper collages this year. The Scottish artist is best known for his Pop Art inspired sculptures made from everyday objects such as hangers, matches and bricks. His series of popular busts of historical figures such as Gandhi and Charlie Chaplin formed from matchsticks are perhaps his most iconic. Another example of his work is Brick Train, a depiction of a steam train made from over 185,000 bricks, which can be seen near the A66 just outside Darlington. His theatrical work draws in audiences from around the world due to his relatability of depicting everyday situations with everyday materials.
One of the world’s most celebrated landscape photographers Charlie Waite will be exhibiting a selection of his awe-inspiring photography. Waite’s instantly recognisable, award-winning landscapes are rare perfections of light, colour and composition, and span a lifetime at the forefront of landscape photography. Waite began his career in television and theatre, where he became well established. During this time his fascination towards theatrical lighting and design laid the foundation for his wildly successful career as a landscape photographer. His unique style conveys a breath-taking sense of peacefulness which has led to his world renowned reputation.
Other artists exhibiting this year include Rosamond Lloyd, who’s one of the UK’s top wildlife sculptors. Her stunning bronze casts of endangered animals are inspired by Africa’s diverse and captivating wildlife, which she spent time studying up close to create authentic works. Alongside her is fellow nature sculptor Nik Burns, who’s work ties in perfectly to the stunning riverside surroundings at Henley. His one of a kind sculptures of animals, fish and birds are crafted from repurposed metal and wood to create stunning interior pieces. Working predominantly from his home in the Shropshire hills, he uses his impeccable wood and metalworking skills to create unique pieces for both in the home and the garden. A slightly different oeuvre of work is exhibited by LightWeight, an immersive, digital art experience created by a skilled collective. A 360˚ inflatable sphere invites audiences to have their photo mapped onto it using state of the art facial recognition cameras and creates a live animation that moves around the globe.
