'ouch' by Stephen Farley ARBSA

Ouch by Stephen Farley
Ouch by Stephen Farley

Taking its inspiration from a workplace injury, 'Ouch' by Stephen Farley is one of the artist's earliest works, and has a prestigious history of being exhibited on the Southbank at The Bankside Gallery and The Richard Attenborough Centre. Both exhibitions were part of BlindArt, which is a charity that Farley has been heavily involved with due to the tactile nature of his works.

'Ouch' by Stephen Farley is one of the artist's earliest works, and has a prestigious history of being exhibited on the Southbank at The Bankside Gallery and The Richard Attenborough Centre. Both exhibitions were part of BlindArt, which is a charity that Farley has been heavily involved with due to the tactile nature of his works. Taking its name and inspiration from succumbing to a workplace injury, Farley felt inspired to change his career path, following his passion for visual art. Since his injury, 'work' as a word had connotations of paying a personal sacrifice for making a living, spurring on his creative career. 'Ouch' depicts a Jelly Baby sweet holding its eye in misery - a portrait of Farley's own injury, but instilled with a sense of humour. Encapsulated by clear yet tactile resin, this piece is multifaceted, with a unique frame displaying two distinctive corners. One represents the fragility of the organic world, and the other in the opposite direction represents the wrought iron edge of industry; the cause of his injury. “It’s a metaphor for what I was seeing” As aforementioned, this piece was exhibited with BlindArt, a charity that supports those with sight restrictions. Due to the tactility of Farley's works, they open up a whole new way of experiencing art through touch, and actively encourage inclusivity and accessibility in the arts. Farley is an innovative and versatile artist whose work must experienced in the flesh - the light refractions of the resin capture the eye, whilst his tactile surfaces are almost impossible not to touch. Both playful and vulnerable, 'Ouch' is a timeless, interactive artwork that is full of personal meaning and originality - it marks the beginning of Farley's career, and would make a priceless investment for any collector. Whether stand-alone sculptures or statement wall pieces, Farley’s works are exciting and tactile, adopting the shapes of a multitude of synthetic and organic forms. Through his attention to detail, intuitive approach, and an innovative use of materials, Farley has developed his own unique visual language, which takes on a myriad of forms and narratives. Informed by years of experimentation and development, Farley’s works would make a valuable asset for any contemporary art collection, business space, or home.

Working and living in Birmingham, Stephen Farley is a 3D artist who works with a range of materials, most notably resin. Farley's oeuvre is multifaceted and tactile - whether a wall piece or a stand-alone sculpture - they're almost impossible not to touch, and demand to be seen in the flesh. This physical aspect of Farley's work offers new ways of experiencing art through touch, leading to many collaborations with BlindArt, a charity that supports those with sight restrictions. Stephen Farley is a versatile, exciting, and innovative artist - whether a wall piece or a free-standing sculpture, any piece from his collection would make a worthwhile investment, and a valuable asset to any contemporary art collection, gallery space, or home.