Alex Hartley

Born in 1963, Alex Hartley graduated from the Royal College of Art in 1990 and lives and works in London and Devon.

Encounters with buildings are shaped by conventions and expectations, yet Alex Hartley reveals new ways of physically experiencing and thinking about our constructed surroundings, through surface and line, scale and materials, locations and contexts.

Hartley’s work addresses complex and sometimes contradictory attitudes towards the built and natural environments. His practice is wide-ranging, encompassing drawing, sculpture, photographic works and dynamic architectural interventions. What unites these works is an ongoing investigation into modern architecture and the ways in which it is conceived and presented. For the artist, a sense of unfolding narrative is essential. Frequently destabilising ideas of “iconic” architecture, Hartley’s practice creates space for multiple perceptions and uses of the built form. His work often possesses the quality of a time machine, freeing the mind to wander. It is as if we are transported into the future in order to look back at the present or the very recent past.