07 August - 25 September, 2022
Ernst Gamperl
'OAK VESSELS'
The Exhibition
In 2018, sculptor and wood turner Ernst Gamperl received a generous gift from the Marquess and Marchioness of Cholmondeley: an oak tree, believed to be centuries old, possibly dating back to the establishment of Houghton Hall Estate in 1722 by Sir Robert Walpole. Gamperl, known for his sustainable practices, prefers working with wood sourced from trees at the end of their life, often fallen due to natural causes or conservation efforts. This oak, among others of Northern European heritage like beech, yew, olive, and ash, would become material for his renowned hand-turned vessels.
Gamperl's acclaimed work, exhibited globally, includes twenty unique vessels crafted from this oak, displayed at Houghton Hall as part of its tercentenary celebrations. Despite being made of wood, these vessels possess a fluidity and texture resembling woven baskets or textured papier-mâché, a result of Gamperl's turning process using unseasoned wood. The drying process reveals fissures and knots, enhancing the surface's character, sometimes joined delicately or left open to add intrigue.
Symbolically, these vessels, crafted from a tree that likely witnessed Houghton Hall's foundation, represent the passage of three centuries. They embody the tree's life cycle, from sapling to mature oak, serving as a microcosm for the ecosystem it sustained, including insects, birds, and fungi. Gamperl's sculptures thus commemorate the tree's journey, from growth to transformation into exquisite art pieces.
About the Artist
Ernst Gamperl is a self-taught artist and master craftsman who, over many years, has achieved an extraordinary understanding of wood. This has allowed him create beautiful, organic vessel forms primarily in oak, but also in other materials such as ash, maple and beech.
Turning wood when it is wet, he takes his cue for the final shape of the vessel from the natural characteristics of his material. Working the wood at the lathe, he allows it to bulge, warp and crack during the drying process. To hold the cracks and fissures together he uses wooden and wire staples, which are used to great effect and add further interest to each piece. Gamperl observes the distinctive qualities of the wood; the grain, colour, grooves, knots and burrs and enhances their beauty with surface treatment. He waxes and polishes and contrasts the smooth and shiny with the rough-hewn and scarred. Continuously developing his skills, recent work sees the addition of clay powders and minerals to the surface of the form. This allows him achieve interesting tonal variations in finished pieces, while a focus on hollowing has seen the creation of objects with smaller openings.
Ernst Gamperl has won multiple awards for his sculptures. His work is in museum collections worldwide, this includes The Museum of Arts and Crafts, Hamburg; The International Design Museum/Neue Sammlung, Germany; Collection Issey Miyake, Japan; The National Foundation for Contemporary Art, Paris and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Gamperl lives and works in Northern Italy.
Acknowledgements
The installation was curated by Anthony Slayter-Ralph. The exhibition has been organised at Houghton Hall in collaboration with Anthony Slayter-Ralph fine art, Hudson NY.
