Staff profiles

John’s practice is marked by his enduring interest in notions of ‘place’ both in terms of cartography and context. This has generated many works as national and international projects. John constantly reviews ‘the tacit agreements of place’ and this has coalesced into a view of the pathology of institutions such as banks and churches. His current focus has been into the nature, manifestations and relationships of currency and belief. This process of review is the initial impetus for installation works for a specific place. Whilst always underpinned by rigorous conceptual thinking, John’s works are always conscious of material, fabrication and architectural space. His sculptural installations are constructed to resonate with layers of meaning that are inherent within the form.

John has received external sponsorship for his projects from The Arts Council, The British Council, The Henry Moore Foundation, Medway Renaissance, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, The Welcome Collection, The National Society of Polish Architects, The  National Forestry Commission, Art and Sacred Places, The  London Festival Board, Mrs Ray Smith Jr Endowment Fund and the Wisconsin Arts Board.

Further information can found at the links at the bottom of this page.

• 2006 to 2007, The Preston Market Mystery project. For ‘In certain places’ Harris Museum, Preston.
• 2005, Happiness is not a right. Project funded by Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and European city of Culture.  
• 2005, The Westonbirt Wishes. Westonbirt Arboretum project funded by National Forestry Commission.
• 2005, ‘mine’ single version. Grant funded by ACE, Art and Sacred Places and the London Festival Board.
• 2005, ‘mine’. Grant funded by The British Council, Mrs Ray Smith Jr Endowment Fund and the Wisconsin Arts Board.
• 2004, Stamping Uncertainty, Canterbury Cathedral, Grant funded by Canterbury City Council, supported by Arts Council of England South East, The Henry Moore Foundation.
• 2004 to 2006 Chatham Vines. Grant funded by Medway Regeneration, Arts Council England. 
• 2002 to 2003, Currency and Belief. Grant funded by The Henry Moore Foundation, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Arts Council of England.
• 2003, Sculpture in 20th Century Britain. Grant funded by Henry Moore Foundation, Leeds City Art Gallery and Museum.

• 2006, ‘Chatham Vines’, Rouse Kent Award for public art.
• 2006, External examiner for Oxford Brookes, MA Art.
• 2005, Invited selector, Sparks commissions for projects in public spaces in Kent.
• 2004, Stamping Uncertainty. A commission for Canterbury Cathedral. Grant funded by Canterbury City Council, supported by Arts Council of England South East and The Henry Moore Foundation.
• 2002 to 2004, Board Member, Dance4.
• 2001 to 2004, External examiner, Dartington College of Art, BA and MA Fine Art.
• 1997 to 2000, External examiner, Brighton University, BA Performing Arts.
• 2007, External examiner PhD (by practice) Oxford Brookes.
• 2007, External examiner PhD (by publication) Oxford Brookes.
• 2006, External examiner, M.Phil, Plymouth University.
• 2005, External examiner, M.Phil, Coventry University.
• 2003, External examiner, PhD, Leicester De Montfort University
• 2001, External examiner, PhD, Exeter University.
• 2006 to 2007 Mentor, Arts Council East Midlands.

Creative sculptural and installation practice with specific interests in the following:

• Place as context and as situation
• Transaction in terms of agreements and risks
• Currency and belief
• Sacred and the mundane
• Installation and its relation to regeneration

Links

• John Newling
• Chatham Vines
• Loss of Mystery