About

Martin Horspool is one of the few people lucky enough to be able to visualize personalities, hidden in disused household objects. The development of these personalities involves some grinding, drilling and riveting, until a creation is formed, from a pile of rusting parts.

Horspool, a Welshman, attended Art colleges in Wrexham and Liverpool, where his passion for 1950’s and 60’s industrial design originated. Now living the dream in New Zealand, his search for objects has become an obsession for him and his collection of discarded paraphernalia becomes the catalyst for the creation process.

The self confessed urban gypsy collects from kerb sides, car boots, markets, scrap yards, antique shops, auction houses and has stock piled a collection of components to make any magpie jealous. Most Robot sculptures contain original pieces from the 50s and 60s and he finds it important for people to recognise the individual components that make up each one.

He has had sell out exhibitions in New Zealand and New York, with sales to collectors in London, Beijing, Europe and Japan.

Exhibitions include:

Nov 2021 Art Week Robotman at Juice It
Nov 2019 Kings College Art Sale
Oct 2019 Robotmania Ponsonby Central
June 2018: Guangzhou International Art Fair- China
Nov 2017: Chengdu creativity and design week – China
June 2017:Street Style – Photo show, Tango, Auckland, New Zealand. Part of the Auckland Festival of Photography.
June 2017:Chromacon – Art show, Aotea centre, Auckland, New Zealand. chromacon.co.nz
April 2017:Container Globe NYC – Group show, Ora Gallery, New York.www.thecontainerglobe.com
May 2016:Frameworks – Group show, CBD, Auckland, New Zealand.
Aug 2016:Sculpture On Shore – Gallery and workshop, Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand.
Apr 2016:Harbourview Sculpture shop – Gallery shop, Te Atatu, Auckland, New Zealand.
Aug 2016:Creatures – Assemblage show, West Coast Gallery, Piha, New Zealand.
Sept 2015: Attack of the Robots USA – Solo robot show, Ora Gallery, 7th Ave, Manhattan, New York.
May 2015: Robots at MOTAT – An exhibition of robots, Museum of transport and technology , Auckland.
Jan 2015: Attack of the Robots – An exhibition of robots, Allpress Gallery, Auckland.
Oct 2014: Portrait Of A Robot- A photo exhibition at Salvation Kitchen, Avondale, Auckland
Oct 2014: Art of Victorian Futurism – A group exhibition in Beijing 751
May 2014: Rebel with a cause photographic exhibition at Salvation Kitchen, Avondale, Auckland. Part of the Auckland Festival of Photography.
March 2014: Art of Victorian Futurism – A group exhibition Seoul, South Korea Artcentre IDA
Feb 2014: Exhibition of the Splorebot family on the Splore festival art trail
August 2012:Artfusions – A group exhibition at Carmel College, Auckland.
July 2012: 3 2 1: works on paper – A group exhibition of works on paper at the Letham Gallery, Auckland.
June 2012:Mods & Rockers photographic exhibition at Salvation Kitchen, Avondale, Auckland. Part of the Auckland Festival of Photography.
May 2012: The Art of Assemblage group show at Erupt Festival, Taupo
March 2012: The Japanese Art Festival, Auckland
February 2012:Mr and Mrs Splorebot at Splore Festival, Auckland
October 2011: Robot Road Trip (photo prints) at group show A Puzzled Tame Tiki group exhibition the Letham Gallery, Auckland
September 2011:Metal Meads group show at the Letham Gallery, Auckland
March 2011: The Trophy Room solo show at the Letham Gallery, Auckland
February 2010: Splorebot at Splore Festival, Auckland
July 2009:Return of the Retrobots solo show at the Letham Gallery, Auckland
June 2008: Retrobots solo show at the Letham Gallery, Auckland
May 2007: Assemblage show at the Letham Gallery, Auckland

Media: Download Martin’s high-res photo here (6.2mb).