Joel
Joel is a sculpture artist who has found a unique and innovative way to create his characters - he will create a Lego skeleton, build it up with clay and other materials, and bring it to life with paint, fabric and even LED lights. He loves to explore important themes and their effects on people through his art, such as violence, mistreatment of minority groups, injustice and exploitation of power, subjects that are important to Joel as a black and disabled artist.
Joel uses animals and characters to portray the issues close to his heart, and is particularly inspired by 80s and 90s comic book characters, using them as the basis of his sculpture work and developing them until completion. He will also use creatures of his own invention, including cyborgs, robots, monsters, heroes and villains, illustrating his imaginative ideas on a computer and building them physically.
Joel is a very independent artist; Artbox simply provides the space and time for him to work on his practice. It has been great to watch Joel build new relationships in the studio, becoming more confident in social interactions and developing friendships.
“I like coming to Artbox because I don’t like staying at home bored all day – I need something fun. I feel happy when making art and I am happy when I sell my work. I get money so I can get more materials and you can take your girlfriend out - go to the cinema or restaurant!”
Original art:
Joel in the studio:
Sculpture
39cm x 20cm x 12cm