13 Amp Muse
29th October -27th November
Tension are pleased to present ’13 Amp Muse’ by Nik Ramage. This solo show of mechanical sculptures presents a group of work, old and new, musing on life in the post-peak-pandemic world.
Some of these machines mimic characteristics of life; a hot-water bottle rising and falling as if breathing, the condensation left by breath on glass. Others tell a small narrative -an electric traveller that will pull its own plug out- or of a snatched moment -a singular hand clapping. Another group are trying to navigate the way forward: a spinning ‘one way sign’ or pointing finger offer little help; a compass offers some constancy at least. Maybe the 13 Amp Muse can guide them.
Nik Ramage makes sculptural machines that have drifted away from utility and objects that have forgotten their purpose. Some move and others teeter on the edge of movement. They are assembled from found objects, scrap and steel. Each work might embrace paradox or absurdity but is comfortable with it’s own quirks and runs to it’s own logic. Nik lives and works in Monmouthshire. He studied at Brighton Polytechnic, graduating in 1992 and has been making machines ever since. In 2016, Nik had a solo show ‘Haphazards,’ at Paul Smith, Mayfair and the following year installed forty mechanical sculptures at Haddon Hall in Derbyshire, reflecting on its 900 years of history. In 2018, he had work in Grayson Perry’s ‘Room of Fun’ at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and in 2019, he was elected to be an academician at The Royal West of England Academy, Bristol and had a solo show in Abergavenny.
In 2020, he had a show ‘Practical Daydreams’ in Hong Kong and his work entered the Colección Solo in Madrid. He also has work in collections in America, Europe and the Middle East. As well as showing at Tension this Autumn Nik’s work will also be on show at Knotenpunkt 21 in Hamburg and Paul Smith’s shop in Coal Drops Yard London.
Tension does not accept unsolicited submissions or proposals
We are an artist run gallery dedicated to showcasing the work and raising the profiles of emerging and mid career local, national and international artists. We show a mixture of contemporary & experimental art that questions what art is and what art could be.
135 Maple Road
London
SE20 8LP
NEW OPENING TIMES FROM 9th MARCH
Friday - Saturday
11am - 5pm
or
by appointment