YDF26 Artist 11 Q&A: Rio Darwin

What’s your background?

I’m a working class visual artist from East Yorkshire. I moved to Manchester to study BA Fine Art at Manchester School of Art where I tried my hand at everything, from collage to photography, woodwork to welding. In my final year, I specialised in ceramic sculpture, creating large-scale works influenced by my connection to my home coastline: The Holderness Coast.

Who are your biggest influences?
Artistically? Who inspired you to become an artist?

Artistically, the land art movement influenced a very crucial turning point within my work and is definitely the reason I regularly look to the Holderness Coast for inspiration. Seeing Studio Swine’s ‘Infinity Blue’ back in 2023 also had a huge impact on me. I was taken aback by the sheer scale of the work, its ceramic surface and the animatronic elements that brought it to life. Similarly, Steve Messam’s ‘Tower’ at Bradford’s Wild Uplands sculpture trail was something I’ll never forget. I seem to be drawn to artists working at an ambitious scale, as I love the complete immersion of standing beside something so much grander than me.

How have you developed your career?
(From student to artist)

I’m definitely still figuring this out. During my degree I made sure to take every opportunity that came my way, which included working with some amazing creative teams, like those at Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair and Manchester Contemporary. Keeping in touch with people and supporting local events has been crucial in engaging with the art scene post-university.
Last summer I was also lucky enough to spend four weeks on residency in Castelo Branco, Portugal with eleven other artists, which was an incredible opportunity to meet like-minded creatives and focus on collaboration.
This gave me the time and space to reflect on my practice outside of education, which was a great stepping stone between being a student and a practicing artist.

How do you seek out opportunities for
work and practice?

Staying engaged with arts organisations and galleries online, attending exhibitions and keeping in touch with people. Most of my opportunities since graduating have been through people I’ve met when working and volunteering within the creative industry. Being active and supporting the local art scene is crucial in showing that you’re reliable, driven and most importantly that you care about what people around you are putting their time and energy into.

What work do you most enjoy doing?

Something that allows my mind to switch off and be fully immersed. I enjoy creating work that challenges my natural perfectionism, which is why I think I’ve always been drawn to clay as a sculptural material. Ceramics is such an unpredictable medium and things rarely come out of the kiln as you imagined, which keeps me engaged and encourages me to embrace mistakes and have a bit more freedom within my practice.

What locations or places are the most
artistically inspiring and why?

My current practice is influenced by the Holderness Coast where I grew up, known for being the fastest eroding coastline in Europe. I’m fascinated by the turbulent, everchanging nature of the landscape, and I’ve carried out lots of research into the history of the coast and the livelihoods that have existed upon it.
It’s estimated that nearly 30 villages along the Holderness Coast have been lost to the sea, so there are lots of folk tales surrounding the area which I’d like to learn more about. I recently read a tale about the old Church in Owthorne which was claimed by the sea in 1816.
It’s believed that you can still hear its bells ringing on a stormy day. I’d love to create a series of work inspired by these types of stories in the future.

Quick Fire questions…