About David Nash

David Nash works with wood the way others sculpt with marble or bronze. Since 1967, he has lived and worked in North Wales, a rugged landscape that has deeply influenced his artistic practice. His tools – chainsaws, axes, burners – seem crude, but in his hands they are precision instruments. He works wood without hiding its character.

‘I am fascinated by the energy and life in wood,’ says Nash. ‘Even after it has been cut, it continues to change. My job as an artist is to work with that energy.’ His sculptures are not just objects, but processes – movements in time, in which nature always has the last word.

At ARTZUID, the abstract figure Stepman is on display, with swinging limbs that suggest energetic movement. It is a foray for Nash, who had the original wooden sculpture cast in aluminium. The work reflects the exploration between organic forms and artistic expression and, in addition to movement, evokes a sense of transformation.