Ricky Swallow

Date
7 April 2011

Broadly speaking, Ricky Swallow’s wood carved sculptures could be described as vanitas. Aside from the symbolism and memento mori-ness are the personal narratives and history of the artist, immortalised in a sleeping bag or paper wrapper that mimics the drapes and folds in a typical Old Master still life, an eel hangs out in a tyre and a skull gets sucked into the bum-space of a leather bean bag (pictured, Come Together). Swallow learnt how to carve from a learn-how-to-carve book which is both brilliant and baffling to the non handy.

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About the Author

Bryony Quinn

Bryony was It’s Nice That’s first ever intern and worked her way up to assistant online editor before moving on to pursue other interests in the summer of 2012.

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