MARK CORETH ECHOES FROM AFAR
Cover: Reaching Elephant ISBN: 978-1-901403-25-1 ISBN TBC Photography - Ken Adlard, New Moon Photography Photography - Ken Adlard,Orphans New Moon Photography. Design - Rosalie Herrera, Press Design – Rosalie Herrera, Orphans Press Studio Photo by Jamie Coreth
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MARK CORETH ECHOES FROM AFAR NEW SCULPTURE 2023
ECHOES FROM AFAR
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Those who follow Coreth’s work will recognise his characteristically energetic, kinetic forms, sculpted with a raw, organic style. But this exhibition also presents pieces which capture the ‘soul’ and inner essence of his subjects beyond their external forms and movements. These sculptures resonate with an even deeper meaning, reflecting a fusion of old and new influences, echoing the vitality of stampeding wildebeest across the Serengeti plains yet also hinting at quiet moments of peacefulness.
ark Coreth returns to the Sladmore Gallery this autumn with his latest body of work, “Echoes from Afar”. Building on themes and concepts from his previous exhibition, “Reflections on Past Encounters,” this new collection of sculpture represents a period of reflection and learning for the artist. After years of extensive travel and exposure to diverse landscapes across the globe, Coreth has channelled his broad range of experiences into a stunning new catalogue of work that draws upon his vast knowledge of the natural world.
While “Echoes from Afar” represents a contemplative period of Coreth’s career, it by no means marks the end of his travels! Coreth confesses that he feels the call of the road once more, drawing him toward new frontiers. For now, he has found balance between pieces born of action and reaction, immersed experience and thoughtful processing. This harmonious fusion results in work that is simultaneously worldly and introspective, full of energy and movement and yet, refined.
At the core of “Echoes from Afar” is the notion of life as a journey. Coreth’s career has been defined by exploration, with the artist rarely remaining in one place for too long. His adventures have fuelled his creativity, exposing him to new environments and habitats that have profoundly shaped his unique sculptural voice. However, the stillness brought about by recent world events has led the artist into a more contemplative state. Rather than physical adventures, his travels have turned inward, into the realm of memory and introspection. The pieces in this exhibition bear the fruit of this intense period of rumination.
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1. LARGE LEOPARD ON A BRANCH Bronze, edition of 9, H:28” x W:34.5” D:9.5” (H:72 W:88 D:24 cm)
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2. STALKING CHEETAH Bronze, edition of 9, H:7” x W:17.7” D:3” (H:18 W:45 D:8 cm)
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3. IMPALA AND CHEETAH CHASE Bronze, edition of 9, H:14.5” x W:45.2” D:7.8” (H:37 W:108 D:20 cm)
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4. DRINKING TIGER Bronze, edition of 9, H:6.7” x W:27.2” D:8.7” (H:17 W:69 D:22 cm)
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5. MAQUETTE FOR SNOW LEOPARD WALKING Bronze, edition of 9, H:3.7” x W:11.8” D:1.8” (H:9.5 W:30 D:4.5 cm)
6. MAQUETTE FOR STRETCHING PANTHER Bronze, edition of 9, H:6” W:12.5” D:3” (H:15 W:32 D:7.5 cm)
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7. LARGE STRETCHING PANTHER Bronze, edition of 9, H:25” x W:49” D:8” (H:64 W:125 D:20 cm)
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8. INDIAN WATER BUFFALO Bronze, edition of 9, H:9.5” x W:15.7” D:4.7” (H:24 W:40 D:12 cm)
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9. LEAPING LANGHUR MONKEYS Bronze, edition of 9, H:22” x W:53” D:4.5” (H:56 W:134 D:11 cm)
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10. WALKING BABOON Bronze, edition of 9, H:13” x W:21” D:6” (H:34 W:54 D:15 cm)
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11. FIVE FLAMINGOS Bronze, edition of 9, H:17 x W:10” D:10” (H:43 W:25.5 D:25.5 cm)
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12. REACHING ELEPHANT Bronze, edition of 9, H:25.5” x W:10.5” D:6” (H:65 W:27 D:15 cm)
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13. HOWLING WOLF Bronze, edition of 9, H:13” x W:8.5” D:3.5” (H:34 W:22 D:9 cm)
14. WILD BOAR SEATED - LARGE Bronze, edition of 9, H:14” x W:22” D:10.5” (H:36 W:56 D:27 cm)
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15. SITTING WARTHOG Bronze, edition of 9, H:7” x W:4” D:9” (H:18 W:10.5 D:23 cm)
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16. SITTING WILD BOAR Bronze, edition of 9, H:7.5” x W:4.3” D:10.2” (H:19 W:11 D:26 cm)
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LIST OF EXHIBITS 1 Large Leopard on a Branch 2 Stalking Cheetah 3 Impala and Cheetah chase 4 Drinking Tiger 5 Maquette for Snow Leopard Walking 6 Maquette for Stretching Panther 7 Large Stretching Panther 8 Indian Water Buffalo 9 Leaping Langhur Monkeys 10 Walking Baboon 11 Five Flamingos 12 Reaching Elephant 13 Howling Wolf 14 Wild Boar Seated – large 15 Sitting Warthog 16 Sitting Wild Boar
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BIOGRAPHY “I have a deep passion for the animal kingdom, its environment and its survival. As an animalier sculptor it is I believe a duty to try to put more into the natural world than I can ever gain from it. Sculpture is not just a means to raise funds for the species I sculpt, as important as that is, but it is also a form of three-dimensional journalism. Sculpture is a way of permanently recording the beast or even the ecosystem that I witness there in the wild be that from the deep cold of the High Arctic or the Himalaya to the Equator and beyond.” Mark Coreth
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Coreth’s unusual working methods include modelling in clay direct from his subjects, live in the field; a practice which vividly translates into the fluid and impressionistic nature of his sculpture, capturing both the spirit of the animal but also that of their environment. Coreth feels that this allows him to enter the mind-set of his subjects and in so doing, capture the essence of their energy.
ark Coreth was born in London in 1958 and was immediately dispatched to the family farm in the Kenyan highlands where the Equator ran through the house. This idyllic African childhood fostered Mark’s early and continuing passion for wildlife. After prep school in Kenya, Mark attended Ampleforth School and on leaving joined The Blues and Royals, serving with the Regiment as a regular officer. He has spent time in England, Cyprus, Germany, Ireland and the Falkland Islands during the 1982 hostilities. On his return to England he was commissioned to make a silver sculpture of his regiment’s drum horse “Belisarius”, for the Warrant Officer’s Mess. Later, a second cast in bronze became the Household Cavalry’s wedding present to The Duke and Duchess of York; his first commission, a taste of many more to come in the following years.
As well as his regular solo exhibitions at Sladmore, Mark undertakes monumental sculpture commissions. To date these include a life-size piece of two Cheetahs in a tree for the ruling family in Dubai, a life-size figure of a boatman which sits outside Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, a shoal of rays in the Docklands, an intricate 50-piece fountain formerly installed at the Natural History Museum and a full-size bronze ‘Tree of Hope’ with hundreds of bronze swifts flying among the branches which was commissioned for the St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital in Muristan. His most spectacular commission to date has been an enormous 18-foot-high charging elephant; the subject of a half hour documentary on the Discovery Channel. Where the film-makers followed him on safari while he made his initial studies, back to his studio for the creation process and finally to the foundry to see the final casting of the bronze. The finished bronze elephants currently reside in a private collection in Australia and on public display at the McArthurGlen outlet, Castel Romano, Rome.
Whilst Mark has had no formal art training his ability is based quite simply on dedication and hard work coupled with an acute and perceptive eye, drawing heavily on experiences gained during his early years in Kenya and his unending passion for Africa. Mark’s sculptures reflect his instinctive understanding of the moods of the animals he sculpts. Working with extraordinary speed, if the original plasticine or clay fails to speak to him within a couple of hours Mark destroys it and starts again. He captures violence, speed, tranquillity and pathos with deceptive ease, and is now internationally recognized as a master sculptor of the animal in motion.
Following a visit to the Arctic in 2010 he was determined to bring home the fragility of the ecosystem through his sculpture. He conceived and created “The Ice Bear Project” where he made
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Whilst Coreth cites the great Rembrandt Bugatti as artistic inspiration, it is clear that his abiding inspiration and muse is that natural world in all its living, breathing glory. Mark brings us close to a world many of us may never see as he has done in the wild, but we can experience its compelling wonder through the beauty of his sculpture.
an enormous bronze polar bear skeleton and encased it in a giant block of ice which he then carved in front of the public. This large polar bear made of ice was then allowed to melt on site while people touched it, revealing the haunting bronze skeleton inside. This project has been recreated in London’s Trafalgar Square and at climate change conferences in Copenhagen, Sydney, Ottawa, the G4 conference in Montreal, 2022 and is now in the collection of the City of Montreal. It helped raise awareness of the whole climate emergency debate and reminded people of the extraordinary fragility of the many endangered species.
Sarah Taft, Autumn 2023
Two major commissions in 2015 cemented his international reputation. The first was unveiled at Chateau Haut Brion in France. The 4-meterhigh Dragon of Quintus commissioned by Prince Robert of Luxembourg, stands proudly on a hill overlooking the vineyards. This spectacular sculpture of the fabled fantastic beast and symbol of the fine Quintus wine already attracts thousands of visitors to the area. At Royal Ascot in 2016 Queen Elizabeth II unveiled Mark’s magnificent sculpture of Frankel the worldfamous racehorse. This life size portrait bronze commissioned by Prince Khalid Abdullah and his Juddmonte stud of their multi prize winning racehorse has been greeted with enormous acclaim. Copies of the life size sculpture stand at Ascot, York and at the stud itself. Coreth is a dedicated supporter of many wildlife charities including The Order of St John and the Ice Bear project, just two examples of his approach to raising funds and awareness of critical environmental issues. His tireless campaigning and generosity has raised very large sums at charity auctions across the years. In a very real sense, Coreth’s relationship to his subjects is journalistic, with the firm intention that his sculptures will both touch the viewer and raise awareness of the huge challenges that conservation presents for us all. Meanwhile his work also adds to the beauty, wonder and joy we can all share in appreciation of the natural world.
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LIST OF EXHIBITIONS 1986
First one-man exhibition at the Sladmore Gallery Commissioned to sculpt and cast Belisarius, regimental drum horse, as a wedding gift for the Duke and Duchess of York
1999
Waterhole commission for The Natural History Museum, London One-man exhibition, Galerie la Cymaise, Paris, France Deer and Ram installed for The Leathersellers Company
1990
One-man exhibition ‘Glimpse of Africa’ at the Sladmore Gallery
2000
1992
One-man exhibition ‘Power and Motion’at the Sladmore Gallery
Art London contemporary art fair One-man exhibition at the Sladmore Gallery
2001
1993
One-man exhibition, Galerie la Cymaise, Paris, France ‘ZooSculpt 93, Regents Park, London
One-man exhibition at the James Graham Gallery, New York Life-size Leopards installed, Perenco, Paris
2002
One-man exhibition, Galerie la Cymaise, Paris, France One-man exhibition at the Sladmore Gallery
2003
Cowdray Park masterclass and exhibition
2004
Fasig-Tipton, Saratoga Springs, New York Crossgate Gallery, Lexington, Kentucky Winner, National Sandcastle Building Competition One-man exhibition at the Sladmore Gallery
2005
One-man exhibition, Galerie la Cymaise, Paris, France Life-size Bear installed in Alton, Hampshire
1994
Newbury Spring Festival exhibition ‘Animal Sculpture’, Maeda Environmental Art Co Ltd, Tokyo One-man exhibition at the Sladmore Gallery
1995
One-man exhibition, Galerie la Cymaise, Paris, France
1996
One-man exhibition, Martyn Cook Gallery, Sydney, Australia Life-size Cheetah commission unveiled in Dubai One-man exhibition at the Sladmore Gallery
1997
One-man exhibition, Galerie la Cymaise, Paris, France Winner of an open competition for The Leathersellers Company sculpture commission
2006
Agreement reached with Creative Touch and the Discovery Channel for television programmes One-man exhibition at the Sladmore Gallery
1998
One-man exhibition, Fale Fine Art, Jersey The Globe Theatre commission unveiled One-man exhibition at the Sladmore Gallery
2007
Life-size Elephants installed in Rome and Sydney Art London contemporary art fair
2008
Grosvenor House Fine Art Fair One-man exhibition at the Sladmore Gallery
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2009
Ice Bear Project, Copenhagen, London Woburn Abbey Gardens Monumental Sculpture show Grosvenor House Art and Antiques Fair
2017
Spirit of the Horse, Messum’s, Wiltshire (mixed exhibition) Royal Ascot Sculpt at Kew, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
2010
Ice Bear Project, Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa and Toronto Masterpiece Fair, Chelsea, London One-man exhibition at the Sladmore Gallery
2017
Solo show at Sladmore Contemporary, ‘Aspects of Africa’
2018
Masterpiece Fair, Chelsea. Coreth, Curling, Gold (mixed exhibition), Dublin
2019
Solo show at Sladmore Contemporary ‘Story in the Snow’ Art Miami, contemporary art fair, USA
2021
Solo show at Sladmore Contemporary ‘Reflections on Past Encounters’ Elephant Family, Co-Existence x Sladmore exhibition Russian Antiques and Fine Art Fair, Moscow
2022
Solo show at Sladmore Contemporary ‘Wildlife Collection’ Auction record for a work by Mark Coreth at Sotheby’s, London, April
2023
Treasure House fair, Chelsea, London Commission for life-size Guide Dog ‘Grady’
2011
TEFAF, Maastricht Masterpiece Fair, Chelsea, London
2012
One-man exhibition at the Sladmore Gallery Masterpiece Fair, Chelsea, London
2013
One-man exhibition at the Sladmore Gallery James Graham Gallery, New York (mixed exhibition)
2014
‘Dragon’ commission for Prince Robert of Luxembourg Commission for ‘Frankel’
2015
Unveiling of ‘Frankel’ at Royal Ascot Masterpiece, Chelsea One man exhibition at Sladmore Contemporary
2016
‘Frankel’ unveiled at York Racecourse and Juddmonte Stud
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SELECTED COLLECTIONS Queen Elizabeth II TRH The Duke and Duchess of York HRH The Sultan of Brunei The Ruling Family, Dubai, UAE The Earl and Countess of Halifax The Marquess of Hartington Lord Bamford Sir Christopher Lever Lady Fairfax Sir Paul Getty The Natural History Museum, London The Globe Theatre, London Ewan McGregor Perenco, Paris The Worshipful Company of Leathersellers The Packer family, Australia HRH Sheikh Mohammed al Thani
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