Initially, his artistic/architectural creations were part of a collective called The Side Effects of Urethane, created in 2001 by himself, Marcus Oakley, and Toby Shuall. The first three installations were predominately created, organised and produced by all three, together with PR agency Village Press.
TSEOU was a dynamic multidisciplinary collective of artists, graphic and product designers, photographers, architects, film-makers, writers and journalists working and living mostly in London. Over the course of the first three exhibits, the collective was exploring the complex, creative and visual connections between architecture, sculpture, and skateboarding.
The collective dissolved into an urban legend and each founder took with them a part that evolved their work and experience most. For Rich, it was the sculptural, skatable architecture and production aspect of the exhibitions. Since these first humble experiments the works have grown into an ongoing series of exhibitions spanning over the last 16 years, the skateable sculpture’s have found homes in museums, forgotten lanes, public spaces and most famously under the Royal Festival Hall in London, known to most as Southbank.
His work is globally published and has been considered the creation of a new paradigm in architecture. It has inspired many others to create works that explore the deeper ideological and physical essence of skateboarding and its complex symbiosis with architecture and the urban environment.
A review on this can be found here – kingpinmag.com
The works vary between large scale semi-permanent, multifunctional architectural sculptures inserted into existing buildings too sets of stand alone permanent sculptures dispersed within the public realm. The works have exhibited across Europe in established galleries or custom re-appropriated spaces. Various pdfs with press articles can be downloaded here.
Bank with pipe – 2018, Amsterdam
A skateable piece inspired by one of Van Gogh famous works.
A commission by the Van Gogh Museum.
We’re all golden – 2018, Malmö
5 public interactive sculptures to be placed in spaces around Malmö, part of the Skate Malmö initiative, more information can be seen here.
A commission from Malmö Kommune.
Skateboarding and the City – 2017, Gothenburg
A sculpture to highlight the history and relevance of Esperantoplatsen.
A commission from MARELD landskapsarkitekter.
For Forest Sake – 2014, Floda & Stockholm
A stand-alone sculpture that was exhibited in the wilderness Floda and then the urbanness of Stockholm. Images can be found here.
A commission from Grolsch Studios.
Project W – 2014, Berlin
A set of modular skatable sculptures. Images can be found here.
A commission from Converse Cons.
New York simulation – 2013, London
The creation of a hyper real NewYork urban environment perfectly suited for the act of skateboarding.
A commission from Converse Cons.
DIY dock – 2013, Barcelona
A Do it yourself intervention into the old city container port as part of the launch of new brand within skateboarding.
A commission from Converse Cons.
The Obstacle – 2012, Le 104, Paris
A gallery space that blended into a large interactive sculpture. The Adidas global skate team went a visited, here is what happened.
A commission from Adidas Skateboarding.
Jibsticle – 2012, Umeå light festival
A snowboard jib rail that was pressure sensitive, depending on where you pressed it created a light trail, the light follows the rider and is brightest where the rider is fading out behind them, see it in action here.
Collaborators: Steven Beaton
Kasta Macka – 2011, City of my dreams, Umeå light festival
A gestural light installation where you could skip lights as if they were stones skipping on water. The quicker you threw the light, the quicker it skipped as seen here.
Collaborators: Steven Beaton
We Have Been Expecting You – 2008, Concrete Hermit, London
2D printed illustrations of multi-functional objects.
Made for Skate – 2007, London
7 Interactive sculptures placed in the public domain of London, combined with a static gallery space showing the history of skateboard shoes.
A commission from NikeSB.
Click here to view the microsite
Units Moved – 2007, Architecture Foundation, London
Looking at ideas around the re-appropriation of urban space.
A commission from The Architecture Foundation.
Click here to view the microsite
Interstices / expoSKATE* – 2006, Lille, France
An interactive / multi-functional space the entire ground floor of an old train postal depot, part of the expoSKATE* exhibition.
Click here to view the microsite
Aalto / At first we take museums – 2005, Kiasma, Helsinki, Finland
A huge experiment in flow and movement paying homage to the roots of Skateboarding and its early architectural form language.
A commission from The Kiasma Museum of contemporary art.
Click here to view the microsite
Moving Units – 2004, London
Cast concrete sculptures placed throughout London as satellite’s to a static gallery space showing works from over 30 artist in Old Street.
Click here to view the microsite
A Surface In Between – 2002, London
Looking at those spaces Skateboarders see and most other folks don’t.
Click here to view the microsite, Video
The Side Effects of Urethane – 2001, London
Exploring the sub-culture of skateboarding.
Click here to view the microsite, Video
Body Language, 1998, London
Dance combined with typography, a moving language.
Visionfest, 1997, Liverpool
A sensory interactive object exploring how technology is absorbing mankind.