Robert Koenig Explores Memory And Identity In An Exhibition Of Wood Sculpture

A new exhibition will be opening at Worthing Museum & Art Gallery that explores the concept of memory and identity through the use of wooden sculptures, carved by internationally renowned artist Robert Koenig.

Robert, who has been carving wood since he was 15 years old, brings his portable Memorial Structure to the museum, a space for contemplation, recollection, reminiscence and memory - decorated inside using a variation of techniques Robert has mastered over the past 40 years.

Reliefs and sculptural carvings in his distinctive style tackle themes of migration, loss, discrimination, fear and collective responsibility, and explore his own heritage as the son of Polish wartime refugees.

Robert has exhibited widely throughout Europe including in such prominent locations as the RIBA Sculpture Court, The Serpentine Gallery in London, The Polish Cultural Institute and the Museum of Archaeology in Krakow, Poland. He has been commissioned to create work for as far afield as China and continues to allow all these experiences and journeys to inform his work.

Discussing Memorial Structure, Robert says "Identity for me is very important; I'm always asking who am I? Where have I come from? I'll never know who I really am other than a human being on his own journey. Identity is a very complicated matter for me, because I am a confused person with one foot in the UK and one foot in Poland. It's the things you do to try to work that out, what you leave behind in your attempts to understand, that make it so interesting.

Memorial structure will be packed full of artworks which tell stories about my experiences, my journey through life. People tell me stories of their past, and of other people who existed in the past who have had their dramatic stories attached to them, and I respond to these stories through my sculptures. It asks, what is your life's journey? It's all about memory, collective responsibly, heritage, displacement, all of these issues that are pertinent to me, and if I bring them up in my artwork, I'm hoping people will also think about those issues and how they relate to them."

Amanda O' Reilly, Head Of Culture for Adur & Worthing Council, says "We're thrilled to be bringing this calibre of work to Worthing Museum, these breath-taking sculptural carvings carry international significance and are a testimony to the quality of work we exhibit and will continue to in the future."

Memorial Structure will be exhibited in Worthing Museum's Main Gallery from Saturday 20 April - Saturday 21 September 2019, for more information visit worthingmuseum.co.uk.

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