Through drawing and printmaking Ian Chamberlain reinterprets man-made structures as monuments in the landscape. These structures are architectural metaphors of past and current technological achievements. He has had a long-standing fascination with technology and architectural forms especially the structures within industry, agriculture, science and the military. These have included Goonhilly Earth station, The Lovell Telescope, Cheshire Maunsell Sea Forts in the Thames estuary and the Acoustic Sound Mirrors on the South Kent Coast.
Chamberlain uses traditional process and materials including etching and pencil to record structures. He articulates the textures and surface details within the rich surfaces of his images by building complex layers of mark and tone. The structures he draws are often now derelict or partially demolished. The etchings become an extension of his drawing, allowing him to record the location through the interlinking processes of Drawing and print.
Ian Chamberlain’ s prints and drawings are held in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Tate Modern, London; Bristol Museum; Royal West of England Academy, Bristol; Pallant House Gallery, Chichester; The University of Chichester collection; The Ashmolean, Oxford Chippenham Museum and The Victoria Gallery, Bath, UK.
Ian Chamberlain lives and works in Bristol, UK. In addition to his studio practice he is also a Senior Lecturer in M.A Multi-Disciplinary at (UWE) The University of the West of England, Bristol, UK