Metamorphosis | Johnny Vegas and Emma Rodgers at the Walker Art Gallery | National Museums Liverpool

Comedian Johnny Vegas rediscovers his artistic talent in this new collaboration with internationally recognised sculptor Emma Rodgers.
Actor and comedian Johnny Vegas has a degree in Art and Ceramics. Three decades after he graduated, he returned to the studio after a chance meeting with local sculptor Emma Rodgers. They have made new work with bronze, clay and 3D printing, shown alongside the historic objects that inspired them.
Their display explores the idea of metamorphosis, meaning a mental or physical transformation. A common theme is transformation through flight. In Emma’s work, tragic mythical figure Icarus is transformed through the wings his father made for him. Johnny shows a fragile female figure breaking free from her fears through flight.
Emma Rodgers is known world-wide for sculptures that capture the essence of the subject. Among her public commissions in Liverpool, she made the statue of Cilla Black in Matthew Street and created the world’s largest Liver Bird.
After training in ceramics, St Helens based Johnny Vegas found that “life got in the way” and art became “an unfinished part of my story”. He recently rediscovered his artistic talent, saying that flight, faith and fear of failure are subjects currently most fluent in his work.

[@ruthfairley-oo9wx]

I found this by chance. What an amazing inspiring account of their work and influences. Thank you for posting. I work in textiles and slowstitch.

[@EYDIMUSIC]

All excellent work. Especially love how the status heart seems to be being pulled to the heavens by a cord.

[@w.urlitzer1869]

just lovely.

[@garyfenlon5769]

Johnny has always seemed like such a lovely man, even when he was behaving badly as Drunk Johnny Vegas on stage. My favourite piece of him as Stage Johnny Vegas is his 'Who's ready for Ice Cream?' film, Both hysterically funny and disturbingly dark in equal measure.

[@thierrybilson9634]

Top call mate.

[@pearlhartney9]

So inspiring! Really love the figures he's made. Did he say he had trained to be a priest as well? So many surprises.

[@hamishsummers8585]

If you can find his autobiography, it's well worth a read

[@pearlhartney9]

@@hamishsummers8585 Yes, will check it out.

[@craftsbluecoatdisplaycentrecom]

Inspiring to hear both artists talk about their work, influences and studio practice and the power of making and creativity.

[@garyfenlon5769]

Emma Rodgers has a real look of Kirsten Dunst.