Sculptor, London, UK
About the artist
Ezra Bailey was born in Manchester in 1983. In 2005 he gained a BA in Fine Art (Sculpture) at Bretton Hall, University of Leeds. To extend and deepen his understanding of working with stone, he completed a stonemasonry course in York, gaining a distinction.
Ezra is now based in London, working predominantly in Carrara marble, serpentine and slate.
The majority of my work focuses on the natural properties of stone, exploring its fragility and strength, often using light to pass through or gold leaf to reflect, emphasizing these qualities.
I choose familiar subjects that already perfectly display the relationship between fragility and strength e.g. eggs and webs. Though familiar, the eggshells and empty webs, in their simplicity, allow the viewer to bring their own meanings to bear on the piece.
I am currently continuing this exploration and experimentation with a range of stone, scale and technique, whilst at the same time working through new ideas that have evolved from this process.
My works in slate are explorations of ambivalence. Figures are carved from the landscape they sit or stand in. What is the relationship – from humility to hubris?
They are also an insight into thoughts and states of mind, that until they were exhibited, I assumed were exclusively mine.
The titles are often a flippant counterpoint to the seriousness of some of the themes.
Artist Statement
