Education
Following undergraduate studies at Birmingham College of Art and Design, Colin Kerrigan worked as an assistant to Sir Anthony Caro. He went on to pursue a Rotary International Fellowship and postgraduate studies in Sculpture at Bennington College, Vermont, USA.
Practice
Colin Kerrigan’s distinguished career spans several decades and encompasses a body of sculptural work that has received significant critical acclaim. His sculptures are held in both public and private collections internationally, attesting to the broad recognition of his artistic contributions.
His work consistently delves into profound themes: time, otherness, points of transition, and the interplay between interior and exterior spaces, creating pieces that invite reflection and re-imagination. Colin Kerrigan draws deep inspiration from the shifting stories and infinite interactions between form and space, whether found in the rhythm of urban streets or the quiet complexity of the natural world.
While he is well- versed in the language of welded and fabricated steel, his practice has evolved to embrace a broader spectrum of materials and techniques, including advanced casting methods and cutting-edge 3D printing; he is thus expanding not just his sculpture methodology, but also the imaginative possibilities of his art.
Between Practice and Purpose
Colin Kerrigan’s career began with a remarkable period of professional success, marked by opportunities and accomplishments on both sides of the Atlantic: in the United Kingdom and the United States. However, as life unfolded, his personal circumstances evolved in ways that significantly altered his path. What followed was and extraordinary chapter of international living and working, an experience that, while enriching in many ways, posed considerable challenges to the continuity of his artistic practice.
During these transformative years, his creative output as an artist was inevitably constrained. The rhythm and discipline essential to a sustained studio practice were frequently interrupted by the demands of global relocation and leadership responsibilities. Yet, this period also opened unexpected doors and allowed him to cultivate a different kind of creativity, one that was rooted in education, institution-building, and international collaboration.
In this role as Deputy Director of International Development at Central Saint Martins, and later, at the University of the Arts, London, he spearheaded major initiatives to expand the global footprint of art and design education. Among these, he led the creation of a fully operational school of art and design at Kelej Bandar Utama in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This was followed by the establishment of a network of international academies across some of the world’s most dynamic cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Seoul, Rio de Janeiro, and Moscow. Each institution bore the imprint of a shared vision: to foster creative excellence and cross- cultural exchange at the highest levels.
In 2008, drive by a desire to provide international students with a word- class preparatory education in art and design, he founded the International School of Creative Arts (ISCA) in South Buckinghamshire, UK. The school became a bridge between aspiring young creatives from around the world and leading universities in the UK, Europe, and the USA: a place where talent could be nurtured, and potential could be fully realised.
Then, the 2020 lockdown marked a profound moment of self-reflection. In the calm, he found an opportunity to take stock and reconnect with his priorities in life. It became strikingly clear that the act of creating, of engaging with the artistic process, was not merely an aspect of his identity, but its very foundation. Art, he realised, is the space in which he feels most complete, most alive, and most fully himself.