The Outside In

As part of a major new commission for Reading International, artist and curator Steven Claydon created three sculptural installations for the galleries of The Museum of English Rural Life.

Objects from Claydon’s personal collection, gathered from across the world, and new sculptural works have been introduced into the displays to explore how we attach meaning and narratives to objects in museums.

About the Artist

Best known for his sculptural work, Claydon was shortlisted for the inaugural Hepworth Sculpture Prize in 2016. Last year, he was also the recipient of a prestigious Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award for Artists. Claydon has performed and shown work internationally in exhibitions at Tate Modern in London, Art Basel in Switzerland, Kunstverein für die Rheinlande und Westfalen in Düsseldorf and Portikus in Frankfurt am Main. In addition to his practice as an artist, Claydon has also been involved in experimental electronic music for over 20 years, most notably as part of the bands Add N to X, Jack to Jack (with Mark Leckey) and Long Meg. In 2005, Claydon made a cameo appearance in the film Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as a member of the band The Weird Sisters.

Reading International

Reading International is Reading’s new contemporary visual arts organization promoting and commissioning major solo exhibitions, group and thematic shows, and a programme of events including performances, film screenings, workshops, talks, offsite projects and temporary public artworks.