“Sugar Me” is a piece which lightly comments on themes of addiction, told through a kitschy and sickly-sweet lens. Acknowledging that there's no addiction without consequence - the substances are inlaid for all time beneath temptation.
- Media: resin engraved corian
- Dimensions: 90 x 75 x 4cm
- Price: £4950.00
“Sugar Me” is a piece which light-heartedly comments on themes of addiction, told through a kitschy and sickly-sweet lens. A commentary on the artist's own sweet tooth, this piece acknowledges that there's no addiction without consequence - the 'substances' are inlaid for all time beneath temptation. With visual parallels to Damien Hirst’s infamous Pill Cabinets, this piece was made using engraved corian embedded with over 760 small resin tablets. Each resin tablet was meticulously designed and sculpted to form this heart decal - if you look closely, no tablet is the same size, and each one has been purposely designed to fit this specific pattern. Farley is known for his use of found objects and symbols in his work to create tactile sculptures and wall pieces which demand a second look - whether stand-alone sculptures or wall pieces, Farley’s works are statement pieces which often take on the shapes of a multitude of organic and synthetic forms. Though there isn’t a cohesive theme throughout his oeuvre, Farley takes his inspiration from various elements, including music, memories, and his travels to sites such as Australia. Emulating natural forms such as the Great Barrier Reef, Farley works with resin, steel, ceramics and more, moulding these various materials to create tactile works that reflect his necessity to work in 3D: “I get frustrated when I can’t physically put my hand on something” Many works in Farley’s oeuvre are made very intuitively, with works often only awarded meaning post-production. This piece is an example of perhaps a more controlled, planned piece of work, which required hours of engineering and tedious physical work to create. The combination of resin and corian creates an almost polystyrene effect – which is ironic given the density and weight of each material. The bubbling textures and tactility of the entrapped pills are qualities which make Farley’s works so distinctive - they’re almost impossible not to touch. This turns the rules of art on its head – in a world where art is not normally handled by its viewer, only to be viewed at arm’s length, Farley’s works challenge this and offer new ways of experiencing art. Farley is an innovative artist whose work breaks the boundaries of art – any of his works would be a valuable asset to any contemporary art collection, space or home.
Working and living in Birmingham, Stephen Farley is a 3D artist who works with a range of materials, most notably resin. Farley's oeuvre is multifaceted and tactile - whether a wall piece or a stand-alone sculpture - they're almost impossible not to touch, and demand to be seen in the flesh. This physical aspect of Farley's work offers new ways of experiencing art through touch, leading to many collaborations with BlindArt, a charity that supports those with sight restrictions. Stephen Farley is a versatile, exciting, and innovative artist and any artwork from his collection would make a worthwhile investment, and a valuable asset to any contemporary art collection, gallery space, or home.
Other images of Sugar Me by Stephen Farley ARBSA