Glen Clarke’s collages and paintings are intricately constructed from delicately folded currency and precisely cut out images of wars machinery and military hardware. Each component is then assembled into a tapestry of the symbolism behind war from the artists perspective – each folded note, cut out plane, tanker, helicopter and ship tells a story of the profits and losses attributed to war.
Glen Clarke’s practice is centred on the fundamentals of sculpture; the artist strikes a balance between forms that are created and ones that are cut out. His focus is the concept of the void, and has been an integral inspiration for over a decade, akin to a long irresolvable obsession.
Since 2003 Glen Clarke has been involved with the non-profit organisation PROJECT RENEW in Quang Tri Province central Vietnam and MAG, Mines Advisory Group Laos. Their primary objectives are Mine Risk Education (MRE) and to clear Quang Tri & Quang Bình Province and the neighboring Ho Chi Minh Trail on the Laos-Viet boarder of Unexploded ordinances. Clarke was the last winner of the National Sculpture prize in 2006 with his work American crater near Hanoi #2 2005. His work is held in collections throughout Australia and the Asia-Pacific notably the Australian War Memorial and the National Gallery of Australia (Canberra).
Video of Glen Clarke’s work on the Hong Kong Art Fair 2016!
Exhibitions
