Graham Hudson is an artist working with ideas relating to fitness, wellness culture and the body as a psychological, cultural and physical subject.
At the RCA, Graham is based in the Sculpture Program and the Health and Care research hub. Project partners have included The Henry Moore Foundation, Leeds, Film and Video Umbrella, London, Museo d'Arte Contemporanea di Roma, and The Van Abbe Museum, Eindhoven. Graham is a regular collaborator with the Japanese fashion house Comme des Garçons, creating work in New York, Tokyo, Beijing, Paris and London.
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Research Interests
At the intersection of sculpture and performance, Graham’s research is in the physical training of the body. This approach considers movement as communication, with human tissue as a material and knowledge repository. This leads to large installations unique to their context, social projects and performative actions set in the vernacular of physical training.
Current and recent projects
The Casting of Eugen Sandow, 2023
In 1901 London’s Natural History Museum commissioned a body cast of the Victorian health pioneer and bodybuilder Eugen Sandow. It was on display for only three months, before its removal to the archive.
The project is in collaboration with The Natural History Museum and Loughborough University. It explicitly addresses the body of Eugen Sandow, which he built with systematic physical training. The cast, made of plaster, was produced in 1901, at the same time Sandow avidly taught strength training, reproducing his muscles in others.
The project asks, if by assembling the historical and material facts of the cast, what new knowledge can be learnt? How does material casting, theatrical casting, sports performance and art performance intersect and inform each other?
Publications, exhibitions, other outcomes
Solo Exhibitions
2022 The Phantom Empire, 35-37, Paris
2017 Major Trauma, Monitor Studio, Lisbon
2016 I am empty like a vegetable, Monitor, Rome
2015 Work Out, Hilary Crisp Gallery, London
2014 The McGuffin Sculpture, Monitor, Rome
2013 ROCPO, Aspex, Portsmouth
2012 ROCRO, Museum of Contemporary Art, Rome
2011 Rehearsal at The Astoria, The Contemporary, Austin, Texas
2010 Graham Hudson, Zinger Presents, Amsterdam
2009 Graham Hudson, Monitor, Rome
2008 Graham Hudson, Jan Cunen Museum, Oss, Netherlands.
2008 Graham Hudson, Locust Projects, Miami
2007 Graham Hudson, Monitor, Rome
2005 Rokeby, London
2005 VTO, London
2004 Jerwood Artist’s Platform, Jerwood Space, London
Group exhibitions
2022 ArtDate, Bergamo
2020 White Timeless Borders, Times Art Square, Shanghai
2020 In Between, Times Art Museum, Beijing
2019 Made in Illusion 2, Artron Art Museum, Shenzhen
2019 Made in Illusion, XXXX, Beijing
2019 Wavelength Reset, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chengdu
2018 Wavelength, Baolong Museum, Shanghai (curated by Liya Liu)
2016 Fuck Newton, Karst, Plymouth (curated by Jordan Baseman)
2015 Future Rhythms, Sale Docks, Venice (curated by Mike Watson)
2015 La Sottile Linea del tempo, Foundation Museo Miniscalchi-Erizzo, Verona
2015 Henk Van Os Komt thuis - Een keuze uit de collectie, Jan Cunen Museum, Oss
2014 What Marcel Duchamp taught me, The Fine Arts Society, London
External collaborations and activities
2023
BLOK, Fitness Studio (London)
Collaboration for the RCA Sculpture project FESTUS: ‘The Movement’
2023
Active Newham (London)
Design and delivery of ‘SCULPT’ a HIIT circuit class combining cardio and strength training.
2023
Stark Centre of Physical Culture (Austin, Texas)
Research archive, Museum and library.
