SEVAN GARO
Raising awareness through art
“We need to rewrite our story to turn this tragedy into a triumph”
Sir David Attenborough, COP26 summit speech.
In this significant moment in global history, with the COP26 summit resonating throughout news and media broadcasts, art is becoming increasingly important as part of the social narrative. A recent interview on Sky News highlighted the key role of British sculptor Sevan Garo, now represented by Clarendon Fine Art, who has been one of the most powerful voices raising awareness through his art and pushing for change in the way we view, protect and nurture our planet.
Fearsome yet fragile
Presenting artistic renditions of geological artefacts, Sevan’s sculptural forms are devised directly from one of our planet’s most iconic natural phenomena, glaciers, and offer a powerful contribution to this new narrative as can be seen in this new short film from Clarendon. Glacial damage is one of the most visible and shocking effects of global warming, and these sculptures are a magnificent artistic tribute to forms and shapes that are gone forever, as the surfaces from which they were taken have either significantly deformed or disappeared altogether.
A historic and symbolic collection at Clarendon Fine Art
Clarendon Fine Art is proud to debut four limited edition sculptural works by Sevan Garo at its flagship gallery in Mayfair. These works have been created as a highly exclusive edition of 10, all with unique geographical coordinate identities from the Mer de Glace (Chamonix, France), Gígjökull Glacier (Iceland), and the Khumbu Ice Fall Glacier (Mount Everest, Nepal).
Mer de Glace:
45.907142, 6.941089
39″ × 39″
Bronze Sculpture
Preserving our story through authentic and awe inspiring art
To create these geo-historical ‘fingerprints’ involved more than just artistic technique, and each piece is an artefact from an expedition to the glaciers themselves. The exact GPS location from which every mould is taken is recorded and remains fundamental to the identity and symbolic value of each sculpture, the blueprint of which is created through a mould taken directly from the surface of a glacier. Using a precise method developed over a number of years by the artist, this mould has been conditioned so that no amount of heat or chemical residue impacts upon the glacier and no trace is left, while simultaneously a timeless record of natural history is being established.
Reconnecting with the environment
Throughout his life and work, Sevan has remained constantly inspired and motivated by the humanising effect of being amongst nature, often to a point of being at its mercy. Glaciers are both overwhelmingly beautiful and life-threatening, and the sculptures encapsulate this duality which is integral to nature and its place in the world. While fearsome in their power, glaciers also represent the immense fragility of our planet, particularly in light of our own incursions upon it. As he says: “My work and the creative process behind involves a way of seeing and referencing the bigger picture in life. I want my work to help people reconnect with their environment.”
Collaboration with adventurer and mountaineer Kenton Cool
Having shaped our landscape for millennia, glaciers have an abstract, organic beauty. Sevan’s sculptures capture a single moment in their life and represent the artist’s unique, deeply personal and progressive approach to contemporary art, our environment, and our role within it. He has crossed these epic landscapes many times, connecting himself and ultimately, the collector, with nature, and has collaborated with leading British high altitude climber Kenton Cool on an Everest series. Kenton, a 14-time Everest summiteer, ventured once more to the world’s most famous mountain in order to take moulds directly from the surface of the summit and from the perilous Khumbu Ice Fall glacier, carefully guided by Sevan’s instruction in a collaboration which reflects their shared passion for and awe of nature.
“I find it impossible to be anything but seduced by the romance of Everest. So much of what goes on up there never makes it off the mountain, you don’t have to go far to be reminded of the human cost of this. I hope that, in my work and direct collaboration with Sevan, we have managed to crystallise our version of this majesty.”
Kenton Cool
The consequences of engagement…for Sevan Garo
From the outset Sevan has devoted his talent to encouraging recognition and celebration of our world, and to raise awareness of the threats it faces. After completing his MA in London, he was offered a solo exhibition in a dedicated art space in the Hague, The Netherlands, entitled ‘Your Engagement Has Consequences’ and from here he has moved down a path of artistic success and socially conscientious creativity. As homage to the vulnerability and majesty of the glaciers, these sculptures combine artistic value with a deeply felt passion for the planet, making them important collector’s pieces for our time.