Sean Henry

• First major monograph on the artist and his work
• Includes an illustrated catalogue of Henry’s most significant works
• Looks at materials, techniques, colours etc as well as finished works

Sean Henry’s sculptures occupy private and public locations all over the world. Since his first solo show, in London in 1988, he has won a broad international reputation as one of the most talented British artists of his generation Fusing the disciplines of ceramics with those of sculpture to create a fresh, innovative approach to representing the human figure, he has helped to revive the long tradition of polychrome sculpture. Through vigorously expressive modelling, he imbues his figures with a powerful psychological presence, the theme of life and death a constant subtext. After an initial chapter exploring Henry’s background and influences – especially the work of the pioneering American ‘funk ceramicist’ Robert Arneson – Tom Flynn considers the full range of Henry’s work from four different viewpoints, in successive chapters: Technique and Scale; Colour and Realism; Theatricality; and Location and Environment. The book also includes an illustrated catalogue of Henry’s most significant works, a biographical timeline, a list of exhibitions and a bibliography. In recent years Henry has exhibited his work in Britain, America, Australia, Germany, Holland, Italy and Sweden. Current projects range in scale from the intimate relief sculpture Hotel Room to Couple, a 13-metre-high bronze and steel sculpture sited 300 metres out to sea at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea in Northumberland – ritain’s first permanent offshore artwork, launched to great acclaim in August 2007. As Sean Henry’s work continues to grow in popularity, this is a welcome, in-depth analysis of the career, techniques and methods of a unique and talented artist.

Dr Tom Flynn began his career as a fine art auctioneer before completing a Masters in Design History at the Royal College of Art and doctoral research at the University of Sussex. He has lectured widely and has written for numerous specialist international art publications and is the author of The Body in Sculpture (Everyman Art Library).