Christopher Marvell
Christopher Marvell (b. 1964, Clacton) studied at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne before moving to Cambridge, where he began working in a studio at Fulbourn Manor with artist and designer Marjorie Townley. He now works from a light-filled sculpture studio in the garden of his Cambridgeshire home, which he shares with his wife, the artist Elaine Pamphilon. The space is scattered with plaster moulds of animals and monumental, life-sized figures. Although based in Cambridge, Marvell spends considerable time in St Ives, drawing inspiration from both modernist abstraction and a more folk-rooted approach to figuration. His work has been exhibited in London, Edinburgh and across the UK, and is held in public and private collections nationwide.
Marvell has been casting in bronze for over thirty years, a medium he describes as both demanding and deeply rewarding. “The disadvantage of bronze is that it’s expensive, long-winded and slow,” he reflects, “but the surface quality is amazing, and the material is accommodating — you can easily add to it or take things away.” From the outset, his work has remained figurative. “None of my sculptures are particularly anybody or anything,” he says. “They’re just shapes, forms and emotions.”
Daily walks through the surrounding landscape continue to shape his practice. “My sculptures have a quiet, English quality of man and nature,” Marvell explains. “It’s about observing acutely — searching for line, shape and image. You have to make art from what you know: a celebration of locality.”
WORKS
Christopher Marvell is a British sculptor known for his elegant, handcrafted bronze sculptures. His work often depicts animals, nature, and human figures, characterised by a raw, textured quality. With a timeless, figurative essence, his sculptures balance structure and movement, often incorporating a playful, childlike sense of wonder.
Origin: Britain
Period/Style: Contemporary Figurative Sculpture
Material: Bronze
Dimensions: 72.5cm height x 20cm width x 15.5cm depth
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A cast bronze sculpture by Christopher Marvell, depicting an owl in flight. The piece is executed in Marvell’s recognisable pared-back figurative style, with textured surfaces that retain the marks of making.
Part of a limited edition of five, Flying Owl reflects Marvell’s ongoing interest in animal forms, combining a sense of stillness with implied movement. The bronze is weighty and sculptural, with a focus on form and material presence.
Origin: British
Period/Style: Contemporary
Date: 2022
Material: Bronze
Dimensions: 48.5cm height × 45cm width × 21cm depth (inclusive of base)
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