The Nature of Being by Romany Mark Bruce
Born in Ireland 1960, Romany came to England in 1978 to study law. After living in Dallas, Texas, he settled in London, moving to Brighton in 1989.
Romany developed an interest in photography, in particular photographing modern buildings, and quite by chance, he was given the opportunity to try his hand at sculpting. He had his first exhibition in the Brighton Festival in 1992.
His sculptures, modelled in clay, and cast in bronze or cold-cast bronze resin, have ranged from statuesque indoor torsos to heroic outdoor landmarks and are mainly inspired by the human form. In later years he developed his style to deconstruct the human form, including the use of shattered windscreen glass to explore the space and light around the form. His success led him to give up a career as a solicitor.
His sculptures have been acquired by collectors worldwide, from countries including the USA, Australia, Hong Kong and the Middle East, and all over Europe.
In 2002 Romany started to paint, and had his first solo exhibition six months later, the first sale being to a visitor from Colorado in the USA. Again his paintings have been sought by collectors all over the world.
In 2007, Romany was selected by public ballot, to create a memorial to those who have died and those whose lives have been affected by HIV and Aids. His remarkable statue is now a Brighton landmark.
His life as an artist has been unfolding since then. Following an inspiring trip to Japan he presented a solo show in Encounters in 2019 and the October 2020 show was inspired by experiences during the 2020 lockdown.