Trees, in the work of Mark Reddy, are approached not simply as material, but as living witnesses.
Working from gathered and storm-felled wood sourced across the woodlands of Somerset, he develops sculptures that retain the memory of their origins. Twisted oak, sycamore, maple, blackthorn, and burl are carved, assembled, stained, and treated through a process that allows the natural structure of the wood to remain present.
His forms resemble animated line drawings in space — poised between movement and stillness, balance and instability. Singular works and grouped compositions appear almost conversational, carrying a quiet figurative presence.
Reddy’s practice is deeply tied to landscape and ritual. Influenced by the symbolic language of carved spoons and vernacular wooden objects, his sculptures evoke ideas of kinship, gathering, protection, and transmission. Functional archetypes dissolve into sculptural totems that feel both ancient and immediate.
Marked by tension, gesture, and tactility, his work reflects on the fragile reciprocity between humans and the natural world — proposing sculpture as a form of listening as much as making.
His work has been exhibited in the UK and internationally, including at Hauser & Wirth, Open Eye Gallery, and The Study.
Selected exhibitions with SM Bureau
Rebirth, Paris, 2026
Quiet Forces, Paris, 2025
Available works upon request.
