이자벨 H. 랭트리(Isabel H. Langtry)는 영국의 저명한 현대 조각가이자 햄스테드 미술학교(Hampstead School of Art)의 학장이다. 조각가, 교육자, 큐레이터 등 다방면에서 활동 중인 그녀는 최근 국제 조각 콩쿠르인 ‘런던 조각상(London Sculpture Prize)’을 제정한 것으로도 잘 알려져 있다.

 

 

특히 흥미로운 점은 그녀가 후학을 양성하는 교육자인 동시에, 국제적인 공공 조각 프로젝트를 꾸준히 전개해 온 현역 작가라는 사실이다. 이자벨은 작품 그 자체를 통해 강력한 메시지를 전달한다. 그녀는 자연과 감정의 중요성, 그리고 언어로는 미처 다 담아낼 수 없는 조각 고유의 언어에 집중하며, 이는 그녀의 작품 세계를 지탱하는 굳건한 근간이 된다.

 

아프리카의 빛과 에너지, 조각의 출발점이 되다

어린 시절 부모님과 함께 라고스(Lagos)와 카메룬(Cameroon)에 거주했던 그녀는 다채로운 공예품과 조각, 아름다운 자연, 그리고 아프리카 특유의 독특한 빛에 둘러싸여 성장했다. 이후 아프리카 미술이 전후 유럽 조각 발전에 미친 지대한 영향을 깨닫고 그 매력에 깊이 빠져들었다. 아주 어릴 적부터 그녀는 타인이 뿜어내는 에너지가 자신에게 얼마나 큰 의미를 지니는지 체득했다. 랭트리는 한 인터뷰에서 "어린 시절 접했던 아프리카 미술이 조각의 직접적인 행위에 가장 큰 영향을 미쳤으며, 종종 작업의 출발점이 된다"고 회고한 바 있다.

 

 

헐 대학교(Hull University)에서 순수미술 학사를 마친 그녀는 세인트 마틴스 미술학교(Saint Martins School of Art)에서 순수 조각 전공으로 미술학 석사 학위를 취득했다. 그곳에서 앤서니 카로(Anthony Caro), 필립 킹(Philip King), 팀 스콧(Tim Scott), 프란시스코 가지투아(Franciso Gazitua), 캐서린 길리(Katherine Gili) 등 조각의 언어를 지극히 강조했던 탁월한 거장들의 가르침을 받았으며, 이는 그녀의 교육 과정 중 가장 위대한 성취로 남았다. 스승들의 권유로 영국과 스페인 순회 전시를 기획했을 당시 그녀는 매우 젊은 나이였음에도 그 도전을 흔쾌히 받아들였고, 테이트 브리튼(Tate Britain)을 포함한 모든 전시장에서 강연을 성공적으로 이끌었다.

 

정적인 형태 안에서 피어나는 역동성

그녀의 작품은 운동성, 에너지, 추상 조각, 그리고 아프리카 미술의 영향을 짙게 반영하고 있다. 랭트리는 정적인 형태 안에 움직임과 에너지를 표현하는 것을 자신의 조각에서 가장 핵심적인 주제로 삼는다. 스스로의 작업을 "조각적 언어로서의 움직임 탐구"라 명명하며, 형태가 만들어내는 긴장감과 균형을 무엇보다 중요하게 여긴다.

 

 

작품 대부분은 유기적인 곡선과 균형 잡힌 형태를 특징으로 하는 추상(때로는 구상) 조각이다. 빛과 관람객의 위치에 따라 형태가 어떻게 변화하는지 탐구하며 다양한 재료를 다룬다. 앤서니 카로, 필립 킹, 팀 스콧을 비롯해 노구치(Noguchi), 브랑쿠시(Brancusi), 바바라 헵워스(Barbara Hepworth) 등 거장들의 영향이 작품 전반에 뚜렷하게 배어 있다.

 

도시 공간의 생동감을 깨우는 공공미술: 런던의 "팝(Pop)"

런던 버클리 광장(Berkeley Square)에 설치된 랭트리의 10번째 공공 조각 “팝(Pop)”은 약 3미터 높이의 대형 조각으로, 모자이크, 조약돌, 크기에 맞춰 절단한 파이프 단면 등 다채로운 재료로 표면이 구성되어 있다.

 

이 작품은 공공미술로서 크게 세 가지 측면에서 깊은 가치를 지닌다.

• 장소와의 관계성 구축: 버클리 광장이라는 역사적이고 상업적인 공간 속에서 주변 건축물과 보행 환경에 시각적인 활력을 불어넣는다.

• 공동의 기억 형성: 공공 조각을 통해 시민들의 일상 속에 "새로운 유산(new heritage)"과 "공동의 기억(communal memories)"을 창출한다.

• 조각에 대한 접근성 확대: 조각이 미술관에만 갇혀 있어서는 안 되며 대중과 직접 교감해야 한다는 신념의 실천이다. (그녀의 공공 작품은 런던 외에도 중국, 칠레, 스페인, 사우디아라비아 등 세계 각지에 설치되어 있다.)

 

“팝”의 핵심적인 시각 언어는 수직적 상승감과 유기적인 곡선이다. 정적인 기념물처럼 닫혀 있는 대신, 위로 솟구쳐 퍼져나가는 듯한 형태를 통해 작품명처럼 찰나의 에너지 분출을 역동적으로 보여준다. 단일한 금속이 아닌 모자이크 재료들의 조합으로 완성된 색채는 단순한 장식이 아니다. 빛, 거리, 관람객의 이동에 따라 유기적으로 변화하는 ‘환경적 색조’로서 작품의 움직임을 배가시킨다.

 

조약돌은 자연스럽고 촉각적인 질감을, 절단된 파이프 조각들은 현대 도시의 산업적·건축적 맥락을 환기시킨다. 즉, “팝”은 자연 소재와 산업의 잔재를 결합해 현대 도시의 물질문화를 예술적 표면으로 승화시킨 수작이다. 비상하는 형태와 다채로운 표면은 폭발, 대중적 호소력, 찰나의 환희를 상징하며, 대중문화의 ‘팝(Pop)’처럼 대중이 즉각적으로 감각하고 교감할 수 있는 열린 예술을 지향한다.

 

 

사우디아라비아 리야드에 영구 설치된 "중력(Gravity)"

최근 사우디아라비아 리야드에는 이자벨 H. 랭트리의 새로운 공공 조각 “중력(Gravity)”이 영구 설치되었다. 12.5톤에 달하는 아름다운 흑대리석으로 정교하게 조각된 이 작품은 3.5미터의 웅장한 높이를 자랑한다.

작가는 이 작품에 대해 이렇게 설명한다.

 

“‘중력’은 ‘공간의 시학’에 대한 성찰에서 영감을 받아 시간과 구조에 집중한 작품입니다. 리야드의 전통 진흙-짚 건축물에서 발견되는 삼각형 구조를 차용했는데, 이 형태는 탁월한 구조적 안정성을 제공할 뿐만 아니라 이집트와 아프리카의 고대 조각, 그리고 원근법과 성장을 암시하는 철학적 맥락에서도 찾아볼 수 있습니다. 조각의 언어를 통해 깊이감과 강렬함을 탐구할 수 있었습니다.”

 

그녀는 또한 조각을 감상하며 다양한 관점과 통찰력을 나누는 관람객들과의 교감이 가장 경이로웠다고 덧붙였다.

 

사람과 공간, 그리고 예술을 하나로 묶다

랭트리는 조각 작업이 형태를 탐구함과 동시에 '사람과 공간 사이의 관계를 맺어주는 과정'이라 정의한다. 심사위원으로서도 “작품의 수준과 기획 의도가 무엇보다 중요하며, 주관적 취향이 척도가 되어서는 안 된다”고 확언하는 그녀의 소신은 곧 그녀의 교육 철학이기도 하다.

 

 

런던 햄스테드 미술학교의 학장으로서 그녀는 예술가와 교육자라는 두 역할 사이에 어떠한 괴리도 느끼지 않는다. "두 역할 모두 사람들을 하나로 모으는 일"이기 때문이다. 2011년 학장 취임 이래, 그녀는 학교 최초의 영구 캠퍼스 건립을 진두지휘했으며, 현대 조각 교육 확장, 국제적 예술가 초청, 공공미술 프로젝트 조직 등 다방면에서 맹활약 중이다. 나아가 ‘런던 조각상’ 제정, 런던 문화계의 주요 행사가 된 연례 ‘아트 페어 데이(Art Fair Day)’와 ‘캔버스 벽화 페스티벌(Canvas Mural Festival)’ 창설, 그리고 HSoA 출판부 설립 등, 예술로 세상과 소통하는 그녀의 발걸음은 지금도 거침없이 이어지고 있다.

Isabel H. Langtry   Brief Bio Isabel H. Langtry, Sculptor and Principal Hampstead School of Art London   Isabel H. Langtry graduated from St. Martins School of Art, London, M.A in fine sculpture. Langtry’s exhibition at the Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, explored a reinvention of forms as do her series of sculptures in public spaces permanently sited in China, Chile, Spain, Slovenia, London, Saudi Arabia and United Kingdom.  Smaller pieces and maquettes are in collections all over the world.   She says “I respond to commissions for larger works, my role as Principal of Hampstead School of Art, London, compliments my sculptural practice and reflects my history of international lecturing, including at Tate Gallery.     Artistic Statement My work is inspired by the language of sculpture driven by shapes and forms observed in nature. Working in bronze, constructed steel, stone, wood, clay, mixed media, I am inspired by the nature of spatial relationships and the built environment. I principally make abstract sculpture whose shapes take on living qualities. People often want to touch them, hug them, I love that reaction. Yoruba and Pre-Columbian art is also a source of inspiration as is the tradition of pre-historic henges. I work directly into clay or stone, sometimes stopping to draw which helps me to develop the language flowing naturally from the source of inspiration. Any narrative shapes you find seem to create themselves, it’s unavoidable, as the eye has evolved to seek them out, which is great fun. By working intuitively in clay or stone and often drawing to create compositions that are three dimensional and essentially abstract, I test the properties of materials and use the history and the craft behind that to match each sculpture to its material and technique and location. My work invites physical interaction. When in bronze the patinas are allowed to mature naturally, changing to reflect the surrounding atmospheric conditions, the constructed steel pieces dance in space and in stone reflect the timeless quality of our creative history, wood brings a very special human quality and combinations of these materials add a material language to any setting.   Brief Curriculum Vitae 2026 currently completing the installation od a major public work commissioned to commemorate King Charles III coronation, ‘The Circle of Memories’. 2025 'Sculpture is the Home of Drawing, Scott, Gazitua, Langtry' HSoA Gallery  2025 Slade School of Art UCL Colour Symposium 2024 Woolombi Valley Sculpture Festival Exhibition, Australia 'Pop' at Barclay Square 2023-2025 - public sculpture. 2021 March, Slade School of Art UCL Colour Symposium 2020 Jan – 2nd International Sculpture Symposium Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 2020 October - November Sculpture in the Vinyards, Wollombi, Australia. 2019 'Petals' Bronze 3m, installed a Kiddepore Green Gardens, London 2018 'PP' Bronze 3m, installed in Majorca, Tramuntana Mountains 2017 October – 5th International Sculpture Symposium, Santiago, Chile. 'BioBio' installed Prado Park 2016 July - Completed new art school build for HSoA, corten steel elements 2016 - Group exhibition HSoA Gallery 2015 - Sculptural commission for Hobbs Collection 2015 - Two 3.5m Bronze and mixed media Sculptures on Hampstead Heath, London 2015 - Series of Bronzes for Discerning Eye Exhibition, Mall Galleries 2014 Mall Galleries Exhibition , New bronze Sculptures 2013 Mall Galleries Exhibition, 6 new Bronzes. 2011 – present, Principal Hampstead School of Art 2005 -2010 Director of ADA (Art and Design Assessments) 2006–2009 Lead Artist, at Larmenier & Sacred Heart School, Brook Green, London, for Studio E Architects 2009 – Lead Artist, Appointed by Chameleon Communications International, to Design Artworks for their London and New York Headquarters. 1986 - 2005 Sculptor at Metropolitan Warf, London 1988 - 2003 Sculptor in Residence London Central YMCA 1987 – European tour of public lectures including Tate Britain, TV and radio 1987 – Ceramic Sculptor in Residence at The Montefiore Centre, London 1986 -  Sculpture Exhibition 'Animals Reinvented' at The Whitechapel Art Gallery, 1986 - Artist in Residence Montefiore Community Art Education Centre 1985–July/August. Sargadelos Ceramic Sculpture Symposium. Galicia, Spain. 1985- 1986 Sculptor at The Metropolitan Warf, London 1985-July/August & 1984 July/August. Appointed by the British Council as Sculptor for The Kornarija Sculpture Symposium, Yugoslavia 1985 Teaching for St. Martins School of Art Sculpture Dept. 1983 MA Sculpture St. Martins School of Art BA (hons) Fine Art, Hull University Faculty of Design Studies Born Lagos, Nigeria., a Spanish bi-lingual

 

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다음은 영어 인터뷰 전문이다.

 

Isabel H. Langtry is a contemporary British sculptor and the principal of the Hampstead School of Art. She serves as a sculptor, educator, and curator, and is also known for recently founding the London Sculpture Prize, an international sculpture competition.

 

What is particularly interesting is that, while she is an educator, she is also an active sculptor who has consistently undertaken international public sculpture projects. In particular, Isabel's works conveys a powerful message through the works themselves. She focuses on the importance of nature and feelings, the language that sculpture itself offers that is not possible to say in words, this forms the basis of her sculptural work.

 

When living with her parents in Lagos and Cameroon, they were surrounded by crafts, sculptures, beautiful nature, and a unique light. Later, she became fascinated by African art after realizing its significance in the development of postwar European sculpture.

 

From a very young age, she realised how important other people’s energy was to her.

After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Hull University, she pursued a Master of Fine Arts in pure sculpture at Saint Martins School of Art. There, she was taught by outstanding mentors such as Anthony Caro, Philip King, Tim Scott, Franciso Gazitua, and Katherine Gili, who placed great emphasis on the language of sculpture—an experience that proved to be the greatest achievement of her education. When her mentors suggested that she organizes a touring exhibition in the UK and Spain, she was very young, but  she accepted the challenge and delivered lectures at every venue including Tate Britain.Her work reflects influences from motion, energy, abstract sculpture, and African sculpture. Langtry considers expressing motion and energy within static forms to be a central theme in her sculpture.

 

When introducing her work, she explains, “Exploring motion as a sculptural language,”

and places great importance on the tension and balance created by form.

 

Most of her works are concerned with abstract forms (figurative occasionally), characterised by organic curves, balanced forms, studying the way forms change in response to light and the viewer's position, she uses a range of materials

 

 The influence of sculptors such as Anthony Caro, Phillip King and Tim Scott, Noguchi, Brancusi, Barbara Hepworth is evident.

 

In an interview, Langtry explains that the African art she encountered as a child had the greatest influence on her direct action when making sculpture, often serving as the starting point. 

 

Isabel H. Langtry’s “Pop” is a public sculpture approximately 3 meters in size installed in London’s Berkeley Square and is described as the artist’s “10th public sculpture.” The work is a large-scale sculpture whose surface is composed of various materials, including mosaics, pebbles, and cut-to-size pipe sections.

 

I believe “Pop”  holds value as public art in three respects.

 First, it establishes a relationship with its location. Within the historic and commercial urban space of Berkeley Square, the work infuses the surrounding architecture and pedestrian environment with visual vitality.

 

Second, it fosters communal memory. Langtry has stated that she seeks to create “new heritage” and “communal memories” through public sculpture.

 

Third, it broadens access to sculpture. Langtry demonstrates the belief that sculpture should not be confined to museums but should engage directly with people in public spaces. Her public sculptures have been installed not only in London but also in various regions, including China, Chile, Spain, and Saudi Arabia.

 

The core visual language of “Pop” 

 is a sense of vertical ascent and organic curves. Rather than appearing closed off like a static monument, the work suggests an eruption of fleeting energy - as implied by its title, “Pop” through its form, which seems to surge upward and spread out.

 

The colour of “Pop”  is not derived from a single metallic surface but is formed through a combination of mosaic materials. Consequently, the colour functions not as a painterly plane but as an environmental hue that changes depending on light, distance, and the viewer’s movement.

 

According to the official description, the artwork incorporates pebbles, pieces of cut pipe, and mosaic materials, the pebbles create a natural, tactile texture, while the cut-off pipe pieces evoke urban, industrial, and architectural contexts. Thus, “Pop”  is a sculpture that combines natural materials with industrial remnants, and can be viewed as a work that transforms the material culture of the modern city into an artistic surface. The quality of its making is extraordinary, highly crafted, durable, well suited to the public space.

  

In other words, the colour of “Pop” 

 is not merely decorative, it enhances movement; it is a public installation that draws attention and attracts pedestrians within the urban space of Berkeley Square.

“Pop” evokes images of an explosion, a burst upward, mass appeal, and an immediate reaction. The work’s soaring form and colourful surface symbolize the vitality of the city, fleeting joy, and an outburst of energy.

 

Furthermore, “Pop” can also be linked to “pop” in popular culture. In other words, the work is not an esoteric, monumental sculpture, but rather a public sculpture that citizens can immediately sense and engage with.

“Pop”  is a public sculpture that, in terms of form, evokes rising curves and a sense of movement; in terms of materials, combines natural textures with industrial fragments; and, in terms of space, encourages the movement and interaction of citizens. Therefore, this work can be viewed not merely as a decorative piece, but as an experiment that explores sensory vitality, communal memory, and the public accessibility of sculpture within the urban landscape.

 

Isabel H. Langtry’s new public sculpture in Riyadh has been completed and permanently installed in the city. Titled “Gravity,” the work is crafted from 12.5 metric tons of beautiful black marble and stands 3.5 meters tall.

Isabel explained, “‘Gravity’ was inspired by a reflection on the ‘poetics of space’ and focused on time and structure. The reference to ancient architectural styles stems from the triangular shapes found in Riyadh’s mud-and-straw buildings. These triangles provide exceptional structural stability and strength, and can also be found in beautiful Egyptian and African sculptures, as well as in philosophical contexts, where they imply perspective, growth, and direction. “Through the language of sculpture, these forms gave me the opportunity to explore depth, repetitive imagery, intensity, and form. What fascinated her most was the interaction with the many visitors who admired the sculptures and shared their diverse perspectives. The visitors’ reactions were truly varied and insightful, and it was all so amazing,” she said. 

 

Langtry explains that her sculptural practice explores forms, while establishing relationships between people and space.

Furthermore, in her role as a juror, she states:

“The quality and intent of the work are most important; subjective taste should not dictate the selection of works.”

This ties in with her educational philosophy as well.

She is the Principal of Hampstead School of Art, London, and sees no difference in this role and that of being a sculptor "both roles bring people together".

 

Since her appointment as Principal in 2011, she has spearheaded the construction of the school’s first permanent campus, expanded contemporary sculpture education, invited international artists, organized public art projects, and established an international sculpture competition- Lindon Sculpture Prize, founded annual Art Fair Day, a feature if Lindin life , the annual Canvas Mural Festival and HSoA publishing.

 

 

[대한민국예술신문 최원정 interviewer]