Conrad Shawcross

Conrad Shawcross’ work explores the complex philosophies of geometry, physics and metaphysics, most often in the form of mechanical sculptures. The prints he has donated to the project #100NHSRooms originate from his ongoing work The ADA Project.

The ADA Project is an ongoing series of musical commissions asking leading contemporary female composers to respond to the movements of a choreograph-able robotic instrument. The project uses as inspiration the Victorian programmer Ada Lovelace, who foresaw that Charles Babbage’s first proto-computer ‘might compose elaborate and scientific pieces of music of any degree of complexity’ pre-empting the birth of programmed music by more than a century. To date, four renowned female musicians have created works in response to the unique choreographies, called splines, created by Conrad Shawcross for the robot. Each distinctive pattern is based on ratios and drawings, inspiring the subsequent musical compositions. These prints depict the light paths of the robot in each of the four splines.

Writing about the works donated, the artist notes: “I am delighted to be asked to share artworks that might enliven the workspaces of our fantastic NHS workers in this time of great need. I hope that these images will help them rejuvenate in their brief moments of rest.”

Conrad Shawcross, Tamara, Beatrice, Mira and Holly Spline, 2014, Digital Print on 255gsm Somerset Velvet paper, Courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro, London, Venice

Conrad Shawcross, Tamara Spline and Holly Spline installed in St Barts hospital Cardiac tea room

Conrad Shawcross lives and works in London. He received an MFA from the Slade School of Art. He has exhibited widely including at the Careyes Foundation, Mexico; Palais de Tokyo, Paris; National Gallery, London and Turner Contemporary, Margate. The artist has completed a number of public commissions for: the Francis Crick Institute, the new Liverpool Street station for Crossrail and the Royal Academy of Arts, London.