“Time waits for no man, but More haste less speed. Like any good set of proverbs, Jim Bond’s sculptures in many ways already belong somehow to our own familiar world yet don’t always give us a clear steer. The shock of recognition relies on this sense that we already know what they might mean. Their subtle combinations of moral personality with sensory delight give them their amazing potency”
Simon Schaffer - Professor of the History and Philosophy of Science at The University of Cambridge
BIOG
Jim Bond is a sculptor specialising in dynamic kinetic structures and forms which evolve before the eyes. His fascination with mechanisms and human anatomy led him to an exploration of anthropomorphic machines as creators of their own narratives. From intricate responsive silver and copper devices to engineered, large scale wind powered installations these mechanised structures unfold to reveal wondrous illusions and hidden surprises. Working from his studio in Yorkshire he exhibits nationally and internationally most recently at The Morris Museum, USA, and he has created significant commissions for the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge University and Lords Cricket Museum, London. His anthropomorphic illusionary portrait of Rosalind Franklin was commissioned by English Heritage for their ‘Immortalised’ exhibition and his work is in private collections in the UK, Canada, The US, South Korea, Dubai and New Zealand.
CV
Education:
2015– Completed AHRC funded MA with distinction University of Huddersfield.
1991 - BA Hons, Middlesex University
1990 - Placements – Bezalel College of Art, Jerusalem
1985 - Foundation in Art & Design at Cumbria College of Art.
Selected Exhibitions :
February - July 2024 – ‘Not Natural’ Exhibition – Melbourne Science Museum, Australia
April 2023 – Selected The Chaiya Arts Awards Exhibition, Oxo Tower, London
January 2023 – Selected Kinetic Biennial Exhibition, Boynton Beach, Florida, USA
January – March 2023 – ‘Source’ exhibition Sunnybank Mills, Leeds
March 2020 – ‘Tiny intricacies’ The Morris Museum, New Jersey, USA.
January - March 2020 – ‘Natural Instinct’, Sketch London Kinetic exhibition with Kinetica Museum
2019 - 2020 – ‘Drawn to life’ Inspire Nottingham, Drawing machine drawings, Touring
October 2019 - February 2020 – ‘Untitled 10’, The Bowes Museum. Programmable swan vertebrae inspired by the World’s most complex working automata The Silver Swan,
September 2018 – Immortalised – English Heritage National Competition, London
May – 2018 – Solo - Kunsthuis Gallery, Craike
February 2018 – ‘Out of the shadows’, Lingwood Samuel, Godalming
January 2018 - Lux Helsinki, Finland
September 2017 – ‘Marvellous Mechanicals’, Touring kinetic exhibtion Art Unpacked,
January 2017 – Lux Helsinki, Finland
October 2016 – ‘Thereby hangs a tale’,Museum of Oxford
October 2016 – Sculptural Head for Light Night Leeds with Artlink
May – August 2016 ESA and ROTOR Installation Huddersfield Art Gallery
June – 2016 – Group exhibition – Djanogly Gallery, Nottingham
May – June 2015 – ‘Fall of the Rebel Angels’ – Venice Biennale
May 2014 – Solo – ‘Machine Anatomy’, Crossley gallery, Dean Clough, Halifax
October 2013 – Pop up for Frieze - Big Deal No 5 – Cavendish sq, London
May – September 2013 – Hannah Peschar Sculpture Park - Sussex
May 2013 – Kinetic Art Bournemouth – The Arts University, Bournemouth.
October 2012 – Kinetica exhibition – Mother, Shoreditch, London
September 2012 – Kinetica exhibition – Émigré studios, London
February 2011 – ‘The Story so Far’, House of Fairy Tales, London.
February 2011 – Guest artist, Kinetica Art Fair, London.
November 2010 – ‘British Art Now ‘– Saatchi Gallery, London.
October 2010 – ‘Sisyphus: The Absurd Hero’ – Core Gallery, London.
March 2009 – November 2010 - ‘Assembling bodies, Art, Science and Imagination’ Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology, Cambridge University.
March 2010 – ‘Horn of Plenty’ – Millenium Galleries & Viktor Wynd Fine Art, London.
March 2010 – ‘Visual Illusions’ – Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford.
November 2009 – Annual Open, Edinburgh.- Royal Scottish Academy
February 2009– ‘Creatures Great and Small’ - A22 Gallery, Budapest & Rove, London,
August 2008 – ‘Domestic Appliance’ - Flowers East, London.
February 2008 - Represented by Kinetica. - Form Art Fair, London.
2005 - 2007 - Solo National touring - Kinetica Museum, London, York College, York, Platform Gallery, Lancashire, Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford, JD Fergusson Gallery, Perth
October 2006 – Joint exhibition, The Bohun Gallery, Henley– on–Thames.
January 2004 – The Oxo tower, London.
March 2003 – The Medici Gallery, London.
2001 – 2003 – ‘Coming to Our Senses’, National touring exhibition
April 1999 – ‘Wind Up’, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh.
September 1998 – Gallerie Claude Andre, Belgium.
February 1998 – ‘Devious Devices’ National touring kinetic exhibition.
November 1995 – ‘Moving Parts’ Roger Bilcliffe Fine Art, Glasgow.
May 1994 – Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh.
November 1993 – Scottish Society of Artists, Edinburgh.
June 1992 – Economist Building, London
March 1992 – Royal Festival Hall, London.
Awards:
2013 – AHRC Scholarship
2008 – Juliet Gomperts Trust Award
2006 – Arts Council
2005 - JD Fergusson Award.
Publications
2016 – Hole & Corner – No 9 – ISBN 772052304009
2013 – Transcultural Montage – ISBN9780857459640
2010 – Assembling Bodies – Art, Science & Imagination – ISBN9780947595180
Selected Commissions & Projects:
July - October 2021 - ‘Vitesse’ Deconstructed bicycle installation to celebrate Brian Robinson
June - November 2021 - ‘Symphonic rain’ Kinetic sound and water sculpture for Chester Zoo
September 2020 - February 2021 - ‘Carbon cycle’ Design & prototype - Natural History Museum
November 2019 – ‘Articulate’ – Kinetic sculpture commission The Bowes Museum
November 2019 – ‘Flow’ – Animated light installation for Light Night Leeds
October 2019 – New interactive drawing machines for The Big Draw
September 2019 – Arts Council grant funded research at Ars Electronica, Austria
January – April ‘Volatile light’ Large scale light installation - IOU for Eureka Museum
March – 2019 ‘Culture lab’ collaboration with Biological researcher University of Leeds
May – August 2018 – Artist in residence, Institute of Imagination, London
April – 2017 – ‘Vessel’ commission, University of Sheffield & University of Leeds
June – 2017 - Designed & Built set for ‘Man on the Moon’ – National Touring
October – 2016 – ‘H2US’ Artlink Commission for Light Night Leeds
June 2016 – ‘Gyroscope’ - Milton Keynes College 5 metre tall wind sculpture
May 2016 – Kinetic installation Soho House with Hole & Corner magazine, London
November 2014 – Mechanical orchestra with students – Glasnia, Gdansk, Poland
June 2014 – Designed & Built set for ‘Hoax’ Manchester Royal Exchange
August 2013 – Designed and built automated electric guitar machine for ‘Fulcrum’ - IOU
October 2012 – Camera Obscura, Barking – Makegood Architects, London.
September 2011 Kinetic light installation ‘Volatile Light’ collaboration with IOU.
September 2010 – Design & Construction Airborne experimental sound installation IOU
March 2009 – Atrium Commission – MAA, Cambridge University.
February - 2008 – Wind Sculpture for Nova Hreod School, Swindon.
June 2006 - Sets for Faulty Optic’s & Opera North. ’Orpheus & the Underworld’,
September 2006- ‘I know why the caged bird sings’ commission Shire Hall Gallery July 2006 - Wind sculpture, Wilson Stuart School, Birmingham
November 2003 & November 2004 – Chain reaction Fire Sculpture artworks MK
February 2002 – ‘Life on Earth’ installation, New Bristol Royal Hospital for Children