About

The human body is central to Anna Gillespie’s work.  It is the lens through which she responds to her own personal history, her current circumstances and the world around her.  Her sculptures attempt to capture inner reality as opposed to outer appearance, whilst still holding fast to a deeply felt awe of the real physicality of the human body in all the various forms of beauty it takes.  

Anna’s work touches both personal and archetypal themes, a central fascination being the contradiction between strength and vulnerability that is part of what it is to be human.  In the case of the works based on life casts, this is expressed through on the inherent contradictions within the life casting process itself, where the detailed accuracy of the casts contrasts with the ‘faults’ that are left or even enhanced to speak more clearly of human vulnerability.  The ‘classical’ result of casting is pleasingly at odds with, and undermined by, the cracks and fissures that reflect the brutal reality of being embodied beings in times of global crisis.  

Recent works have often centred on the themes of both ‘witnessing’ and ‘turning away’, again a deep contradiction held within humans, and one that is particularly poignant in this era of global change and instability.  The insistence on depicting the human body is in itself a kind of environmental statement: we live in our limited bodies as we live on this finite planet and, despite our illusions, cannot escape into a purely limitless, digital world where we can extract at will and yet still hope to survive.

Anna Gillespie’s work has featured in various group and solo shows over the last 30 years.  More recently Anna has completed a series of sculptural installations including in Cathedrals and public spaces, and she has collaborated in dance and ‘protest’ performances.  Anna’s work is in the collections of The Prudential, Burghley House Sculpture Park, Chippenham Museum, The Somerset Museum, Museo Arte Contemporanea Sicilia, Bodrum Sculpture Park in Turkey, also in private collections in America, the Middle East and Europe.

Education & Training:

1997 Italy. Scholarship and teaching assistant at the Centro d’Arte Verrocchio, Italy1996-98 MA Fine Arts, Cheltenham

1995 Studio assistant to Nigel Konstam at the Centro d’Arte Verrocchio. Italy

1986-87 Diploma International Relations, LSE

1983-86 BA Hons, Wadham College Oxford

Shows & Commissions:

Anna Gillespie is no longer represented by Beaux Arts Bath

2025

London Art Fair – Beaux Arts Bath

Invisible Foundations – Group show, FormICA studios

Elected Trustee – Royal Society of Sculptors

Teaching at West Dean College

Selector – RWA Annual Exhibition

Portland Sculpture Quarry Trust – Group exhibition with RSS

RWA – Annual Exhibition

2024

Beaux Arts Bath.  London Art Fair.

Moma, Machynllth.  Group show.  Consuming Passions with Vulgar Earth Artists Group

Teaching at West Dean College

ACE Arts, Somerton.  Group show.  Casting Shadows with Royal Society of Sculptors

Garrison Gallery, Chelsea.  Group show.  The Future is Female.  (March)

The Sherborne, Dorset.  Re-launch group show.  (April)

Beaux Art, Bath.  Solo. (May)

Funeral for Nature ‘Mother Earth’ procession figure

Wells Cathedral installation for Wells Art Contemporary in the Chapter House

RWA – Annual Open Exhibition

2023

Beaux Arts Bath.  London Art Fair.

Royal West of England Academy.  Open Photography.  ‘Three’ Collaboration.

Chelsea Barracks.  Sculpture Trail – Contemporary Women Sculptors.

Teaching West Dean College.

Royal Society of Sculptors.  Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens.  Group exhibition.

Wells Art Contemporary.  Open exhibition.

Royal West of England Academy.  Annual Open Exhibition.

2022

Holburne Museum, Bath.  Group show.  People Make Museums

Beaux Arts Bath.  Three person show.

Beaux Arts Bath.  London Art Fair

RWA.  Group exhibition.  This Is Me.

Royal Society of Sculptors.  Chichester Cathedral.  Group exhibition.

RA Summer Show.  Photograph of installation in Architecture category.

Abdulmecid Efendi Mansion, Turkey.  Group exhibition.

RWA annaual

Beaux Arts Bath – Saatchi

Mnemosyne – Washington

Sinking House collaboration shortlisted for Dezeen Awards 2022

2021

Sinking House installation with Stride Treglown architects at Pulteney Bridge, Bath

AJ100 Collaboration of the Year award (Architects Journal)

Longlisted for Dezeen Award

Abbey House Gardens

10gsm Challenge

Open Studio – Slaughterford Mill

Beaulieu Scultpure Show

Canwood Gallery Open.

Exhibition.  The RWA Collection – Our Heritage, Our Future

2020

Watermans Art Centre, London.  Solo exhibition plus dance performance collaboration

Beaux Arts Bath, Solo

Harvard University panel discussion Festival of the Muses, Centre for Hellenic Studies

2019

Commission for Morecambe Bay Partnership at Half Moon Bay

Elected Academician at the Royal West of England Academy

Collaboration with Richard Chappell Dance, funded by Linbury Trust and Arts Council, performances at Royal Opera House, Oxford and Phoenix Exeter

CoLab Drawing Residencies, Historic Collections and Owlpen Manor

Solo, Alderney Performing Arts Festival, Fort L’Etoc

Open Studio, Larkhall Studio Trail, Bath

The London Art Fair, Beaux Arts Bath

The Hepworth Wakfield Print show with Spike Island Print Studio

Shortlisted for Women Make Sculpture prize organised by the CoLab

2018

Beaux Arts Bath.  Solo exhibition

Commission for Crest Nicholson at Bath Riverside 

The Steel Rooms.  Solo exhibition.  Brigg, Grimsby

Two person show Christies Contemporary, Jersey

Collaborating with choreographer Richard Chappell.  Preview at Royal Opera House 

Grizedale Sculpture Park.  Group RBS exhibition. Inspired by Nature

London Art Fair, Beaux Arts Bath

Member Spike Island Print Studio

2017

Installation ‘The Waiting’.  Baltic Triangle, Liverpool

Society of Women Artists.  Group show.  London

Royal West of England Academy, Drawn group show

Beaux Arts Bath, London Art Fair

Residency.  Drawing Projects UK

CCA Galleries International, Jersey.  Four person show

2016

Acclimatise E-exhibition Moderna museet, Stockholm

The Pound Arts Centre, Corsham.  Solo exhibition

RWA, Autumn Exhibition

Beaux Arts Bath.  Solo exhibition

Open Studio Show, Bristol

Lacock Abbey, group show

2015

Glastonbury Festival, Greenfields gateway commission

RHS Chelsea Flower Show with Chris Beardshaw

Frensham Heights School Commission

Solo exhibition, Beaux Arts London

Group exhibition, Homo Sapiens, Beaux Arts London

2014

National Trust Headquarters, Heelis, Swindon

Glastonbury Festival, Greenfields gateway commission 

Art in Action, Gateway installation, Oxford

Alderney Performing Arts Festival, site specific installation

Beaux Art Bath, Solo

London Art Fair, Solo Stand , Beaux Arts Bath 

RWA, Autumn Exhibition

2013

5 Person Show, September Beaux Arts London

Gloucester Cathedral, Open West group Show

Solo Show, Beaux Arts Bath

160 Autumn Exhibition, Royal West of England Academy

RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Chris Beardshaw Gold Winning Garden

Glastonbury Festival, Greenfields gateway commission

Beaux Arts London, Summer Show

2012

Two Person Show, Beaux Arts Bath

Summer Show, Beaux Arts, London

RWA, Autumn Exhibition

Abbey Walk Gallery, Grimsby, Group Show

Derwent Wye Fine Arts-Group Show

2011

Solo Show - Beaux Arts Bath

Burghley House, Sculpture Garden

The Big Draw Self-Portrait Drawing Show, Chapel Row Gallery, Bath

Work also shown at Byard Art, Cambridge and Artzu Gallery, Manchester

2010

Three person show with Peter Randall-Page and Sarah Gillespie. Waterhouse & Dodd, London

Cambridge -Solo Show. Byard Art, Cambridge

SEEDS Film Festival. Minneapolis, USA

London. Victor Felix Gallery, Three person show

2009

Manchester.  Artzu Gallery. Solo

Bristol Contemporary Open. Group Show

Bristol. View Gallery. Opening Group Show

2008 

London. "The Figure" at Sarah Myerscough Fine Art 

London. "Coda" with Chuck Elliott at The Gallery in Cork Street 

Plymouth University. "Art spaces". Group Show

2007

Bristol. Royal West of England Academy. Open Sculpture

Bath. Chapel Row Gallery, Solo Show

Bath. Beaux Arts Gallery, Summer Show

Cambridge. "Breath of Fresh Air" and Summer Show, Byard Art 

Oxfordshire. Art in Action 

Corsham. Pound Arts Centre, Solo Show

2006

Art Miami Art Fair with Osborne Samuel Gallery 

Palm Beach Art Fair with Osborne Samuel Gallery 

London, Osborne Samuel, Summer Show

Manchester, Artzu Gallery, Group Show

Oxfordhsire, Art in Action

2005

Bristol. New Gallery at the RWA. Solo 

Plymouth. Peninsula Art Centre. Four person show 

London. Osborne Samuel. Three person show

Frome, Somerset. Black Swan Arts.

Buckfastleigh, Devon. Rill Centre

London. Osborne Samuel Gallery. Summer Show 

Bath. BANA group exhibition

London. The Artist and Radio 4. South Bank Gallery 

Manchester. Artzu Gallery. Big Shots

2004

Bristol. R.W.A. ‘Encore’ group show

London. Candid Arts Trust. Network A.D. group show 

Bristol. Centrespace group show

Bristol. Tobacco Factory. Black Cube group

Bristol. South Bristol Art Trail

Bath. Fringe Festival. Installation in Bath Abbey 

Yorkshire. Hebdon Bridge Sculpture Trail

London. ‘Art London’ with the Berkeley Square Gallery 

Athens. ARTiade 2004. ‘Olympics of Visual Arts’

Gloucestershire. Prema Arts Centre. Solo

London. Spectrum Fine Arts

Bristol. RWA. Autumn Exhibition 

Bath. Hotbath Gallery. Pause: capturing the sublime 

Exeter. Home is Where the Hurt Is

Plymouth. New Street Gallery. Christmas Show 

Ashburton. Gallery No 8. Christmas Show

Somerset Museum Services art collection

2003

Bristol. Centrespace Gallery. Solo

Dorset. Sherborne House Arts Centre. Two person show 

R.W.A. Open

Bristol. Botany Studios. Open studio show. Bristol 

Black Cube group. UV light exhibition

Lichfield District Council. ‘Inspire’ 100 people collaboration

2001

Salisbury. Site-specific stone commission for Lord Chichester 

Birth of second son

1999

Birth of first son

Bristol. Work shown at The 3-D Gallery 

Totnes. Ariel Centre. Work shown alongside solo exhibition of paintings by Sarah Gillespie

1998 

Work shown at the Gardens of Gaia Sculpture Park, Kent. 1998-1999

Work shown at the Michael Wright Gallery, Bristol

1997

Ireland. Work shown at the Yello Gallery, Kinsale. 1997-1998

Gloucestershire. Work shown at the Anderson Gallery. 1997-1998

1996

Italy.  Studio assistant at Centro d’Arte Verrocchio

Bristol. The Happening Gallery. Solo

London. Work shown at The Cadogan Gallery 

London. Work shown at The McHardy Sculpture Gallery

Worcestershire. Work shown at the Ombersely Gallery

Bristol. Group show by ‘Artery’ at the Leadworks

Edinburgh. C Venue 19. Fringe Festival five women show

1995

Bristol. The Happening Gallery. Solo 

Bristol. The Happening Gallery. ‘Cruciform’ group show 

London. Wembley Exhibition Centre. Natural Stone Show 

City of Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. ‘Broad’s Boards’

Edinburgh. C Venue 19, Fringe Festival group show

R.W.A. Open. 

1993-95

R.W.A. Printmaking Open

Bath Society of Artists. Open 

R.W.A. Open