PROFILE

Henry Moore OM CH personally funded Atkin throughout his MA sculpture course at the RCA in London. Since then, he has exhibited his work worldwide: e.g., the Guggenheim Museum in Italy, Museum of Modern Art Melbourne and New Orleans Museum of Art - are three such examples of high-profile venues worldwide. Recent publications on Atkins’ public art output focus on references to cultural heritage within urban design.

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Atkin has been invited to present keynote papers at a number of conferences worldwide including, 16th China Sculpture Forum. DIAOSU- National Sculpture Magazine of China: Sculpture by the Sea Symposium -Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney, Australia: Understanding the Post-Industrial City: Universidade Técnica de Lisboa Bauhaus – Lisbon, Portugal: International Sculpture Centre Conference, Pittsburgh USA: Curating in Action – Art as Social Practice, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China.

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Atkin is Reader in Fine Art and Director of Internationalisation at Loughborough University, and has lectured at numerous institutions worldwide, including Boston University: Tsinghua University, Beijing: Virginia Commonwealth University: Kansas City Art Institute: Hartford University, CT.: Sydney College of the Arts: Victoria College Melbourne: The Curtin Institute, Perth.

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FACULTY

He is Honorary Fellow, National Academy of Sculpture, Beijing, and Fellow at the Royal Society of Sculptors, London.

John Atkin has taught at a range of different F.E. and H.E. levels throughout his career since 1986 when he concluded the Picker Fellowship in Sculpture at Kingston University. Since then, he has taught at, Victoria College Melbourne Australia, Sydney College of the Arts Australia, Curtin Institute Perth Australia, Hartford University CT. USA, Kansas City Art Institute M.O. USA, Loyola University New Orleans USA, Boston University Mass. USA, Tsinghua University Beijing China, South China University of Technology Guangzhou China, Royal College of Art London, and several other institutions where he has delivered lectures and workshops.

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Since 1982 he has worked at Loughborough University, where he has taught across a variety of subject disciplines in Fine Art, as well as the Design School, Architecture, Ceramics, and Mixed Media Textiles.

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As Programme Director in Fine Art, he was responsible for the delivery of all Part C, semester one and semester two modules including Final Project. He also teaches into Part A as well as Part B modules. Where there has been opportunity to teach across subject disciplines, he has contributed to group workshops in Architecture as well as the Design School. In addition, he contributes to the delivery of PGT and PGR teaching.

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John Atkin’s research informs his teaching delivery and he has been able to introduce innovative digital modes of delivery into the Fine Art curriculum. His research has also attracted PhD candidates where is broad approach to Fine Art practice has attracted students interested in a range of topics, from text-based art to human identity.

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He works closely with colleagues on the design of the Fine Art course to ensure quality and an engaging learning environment. He is also involved in the design of MA programmes for both the London Campus as well as Loughborough.

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RESEARCH

John Atkin has developed a substantial body of work over the past 40 years which has been exhibited worldwide in the form of solo and group exhibitions, as well as public art. His research interests have evolved from the use of the found object as a metaphor for human identity into how outcomes from such research can be embedded into the public realm via regeneration projects worldwide.

His early work is characterised by a series of figurative artworks which explore his own identity through the examination of family relationships, principally his father. The resulting artworks, sculpture, installation, tableaux, painting, film, screenplay formed the basis of a series of exhibitions, Juda Rowan Gallery London, Hatton Gallery, Ceolfrith Gallery.

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Themes of conflict permeated his output, which led to the development of further works influenced by study visits to, the Imperial War Museum, Wallace Collection, First World War poetry. Outcomes have been exhibited widely, from the Peggy Guggenheim Museum Italy, to Olympic Park Beijing.

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His output has straddled the digital-divide, where one half of his career is characterised by traditional making processes, and since 2003 has become an increasing synthesis of digital and traditional methods of making. Drawing has been the central plank of this extensive activity, recognised by significant awards from, the Rootstein Hopkins Foundation, Royal College of Art, and Loughborough University.

Atkin continues to work with Interdisciplinary Design Teams, where the role of art in urban regeneration projects and urban design are key factors in shaping public space. To this end, he collaborates with Architects, Urban Designers, Landscape Architects, City Planners, Highway Engineers, Environmental Designers, Civil & Building Engineers, and other Design groups.

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Although his studio is the discreet environment for developing ideas, his work takes place worldwide, often working as an embedded component in fabrication team’s, as well as community groups, where history and heritage are prerequisites of a projects aims and objectives.

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IMPACT & ENGAGEMENT

John Atkin is Director of Internationalisation (Creative Arts) and has primarily focussed on pre-pandemic activities in China to raise the visibility of SDCA to this Asiatic audience. He has optimised his participation in conferences, symposiums and exhibitions to bolster the reputation of SDCA programmes and to attract PGT/PGR study at LU. He is the overseas expert for Tsinghua University and has helped their Academic Board identify suitable individuals for promotion opportunities. He fulfils a similar role at South China University of Technology in Guangzhou, and is also invited to lead workshops for Design orientated students interested in a Fine Art approach to developing concept ideas.

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John Atkin Has participated in a range of conferences as Key Note speaker: most recently at Tsinghua University for the ICADE. Ask Our Diverse World: Curating in Action-Art as Social Practice, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, and Sculpture in Context – Tradition & Innovation: Lecture “Sundew and other work by John Atkin”: International Sculpture Center Conference, Pittsburgh USA.

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He has worked with world-leaders in shaping innovative public realm schemes such as Jacobs (Highway Engineers) and Whitelaw Turkington (Landscape Architects) as part of the Interdisciplinary Design Team (IDT) charged with the responsibility of delivering the £15.8M urban regeneration of Ashford, Kent. His work as Lead Artist for this 5-year project was returned as a Case Study for RAE 2014.

John Atkin is the winner of the LU 2017 University Award, which enabled him to concentrate on developing digitally orientated ideas for future exhibitions and concept-designs for public space.

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In addition, Atkin has won major awards for his public sculpture projects worldwide, such as Access to Justice a landmark artwork for McMurtry gardens of Justice, Toronto, Canada, which explores the central tenet of the Canadian Charter of Right & Freedoms, Access to Justice.

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