Very few young artists, fresh out of college, get picked up by a collector, so when Charles Saatchi bestowed his patronage on Conrad Shawcross ten years ago, it propelled the sculptor into the stratosphere – and he’s not looked down. The 36-year-old Londoner makes complicated sculptures that have the appearance of machines. But they perform puzzling acts – winding yarn or spinning light into abstract patterns. ‘Timepiece’, his latest commission for Camden’s iconic Roundhouse, looks set to be his most challenging and awe-inspiring piece to date. The eight-metre-diameter sculpture will be suspended above a gnomon (the spike of a sundial), turning the main space into a giant clock installation. The immersive work throws new light on our perception of time and will turn visitors into their very own gnomon.
WATCH OUR VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH CONRAD IN HIS EAST LONDON STUDIO