Terrence Higgins Trust, The Timed Auction 2021

Alexander Glass's practice involves creating pristine minimalist sculptures which articulate simultaneous sensations of attraction and horror. ‘Desire is physical’ this is the notion that underpins the artist's sculptural and installation practice. Through gloss surfaces and cinematically aspirational imagery, Alexander aims to seduce audiences into the theatre of his oeuvre.

“Often functioning as sets without performers, my works explore the complex relationship between masculinity and desire. Locker-rooms, swimming pools and nightclubs are exploited for their familiarity but also for their association with the sexualisation of the male body. Through my academic research I investigate the history of the masculine ideal; from the idolatry of the ancient Greek to the modern obsession with the superhero and the impact the age of social media has had on the self-image. This research manifests in my installations through the presentation of the ubiquitous physical body that only appears disembodied or on the surface of a screen. Desire for the body and the fabricated image of masculinity is left for the viewer to contemplate within artificial environments of ambition. My practise offers a critical and melancholy lens on the vulnerability of the potent male image and the world of aspiration.

My works on paper and other 2-D pieces run in parallel to my sculptural practice. Often informing and complimenting the world in which I seek to present. The connection between these elements can often be found through the intended ambience of sense of anticipation and longing that permeates the objects and the scenes depicted.” - Alexander Glass, 2020

Accolades

MA. Fine Art Sculpture, Royal College of Art, London, 2017
BA. Fine Art Sculpture, University of Brighton, Brighton, 2014

Awards: Commissioned by British Airways First Life Magazine for their Winter Edition Front Cover 2019/2020. The Annex Collection Acquisition Award - Winning Artist April - 2017. Broomhill National Sculpture Prize 2014 - 'Public Speaks' Prize.

Recent Exhibitions: Queer Contemporaries, Air Gallery, Manchester 2020. Sitting Show, East Bristol Contemporary, Bristol 2019. Millennialism, Paradise Works, Manchester 2019. The Salamander Devours its Tail Twice, Gallery 46, London 2018. A Bigger Splash, Galerie PCP, Paris 2018. A Body Is A Building, Bloc Projects Billboard Commission, Sheffield 2018.

Alexander's 2020 solo show Bodies of Water at Studio Sol in Reyjavik, Iceland, is to be rescheduled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

This artwork has been donated by Alexander Glass.
www.alexanderglasssculpture.com
@glassalexander