Laurence Chalk makes absurd, tragic, sad, funny and pathetic sculpture. His works are an exercise in humorous futility. From flags that wave hopelessly in the dark, to light bulbs that wobble on bending poles. The potential usefulness is always thwarted. They are precarious, yet despite this, they manage to exist comfortably between holding it together and falling apart, Chalk’s commitment to eternal, faltering optimism is always in evidence.
A boyish woodshed charm pervades the work with its perfunctory lick of gloss paint and low tech construction. He uses simple and everyday materials to create lo-fi sculptures with punkish twists. He champions a do-it-yourself philosophy and avoids high tech options for the more hands on trial and error kind of making.
A distinctive feature of Chalk's work is his fascination with kinetics. Most of his works feature a mechanical device such as a record player or electric motor, which in turn raises a flag or animates a pole. Any object is transformed by movement whether a flag, the branch of a tree or a plastic bag.
Chalk invites the viewer to revel in the spectacle and explore the significance and meaning of what they see, as the sculptures routinely wiggle or thrash out their existence. An anarchic and punkish spirit pervades his work provoking a spontaneous playful response from his audiences. When scrutinised the absurd tragedy of the pieces contrast with the surface innocence to provide us with a familiar narrative of vain attempts and well meant endeavour.
For Chalk making sculpture is about experimentation and constant tweaking of ideas and beliefs. It is about change, movement, exuberance and immediate excitement. Work evolves out of a passion for making do, using what he has, to make the most of a situation, an idea, a feeling or an instinct.