Bio
As a professional artist my work has enjoyed exhibitions throughout the UK, which include, The Mall Galleries, The Peoples History Museum, The Jewish Museum, as well as numerous commercial galleries. A social realist concern has always been the basis for my work. However, recently portraiture and figurative compositions have become central to my development.
Artist Statment
All painting and drawing is a work of abstraction. Painting is always concerned with a world within its four edges. Through shape, colour and tonal contrast, It can seem there is space but it remains 2D, pigment on support. When one is painting most of ones engagement is concerned with overcoming this or that formal problem. Yet the formal abstract qualities in painting can never be wholly separated from the subject, they are intrinsically linked. No painter can dispense with subject matter without his work suffering as a result.
For me observation is a crucial component of picture making. Painting from observation is no mechanical act. There is always a choice and emphasis . I have never held the impossible ambition, from being a whole human, to becoming only an ‘eye.’ Instead one must approach painting with your whole being, eye, mind and body. The language of oil paint is sensual and visceral, the act of picture making is an inventive process which invites combination of observation knowledge logic and invention.
Always there is a concern with the human subject and a search for the way in which it is painted to meet the subject matter of the painting. To find a form which best does it justice.
CV
Education
Portraiture Diploma, Heatherley School of fine art. 2018-2020
Drawing Intensive Term. Royal Drawing School. 2017.
Fine Art BA, Chelsea College of Art and Design. 2009-2012.
Selected exhibitions
John Moores Painting Prize, Walker Gallery, Sep-Feb 2023-24
La Lucha, Solo Exhbition, Brixton Tate Libary, August,2023
RBA Rising Stars, Young Artists Exhibition, ROSL Mayfair, April-July 2023
SocialMurder:Grenfell, Maxilla Space, April 2023
NEAC Anual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, June-July 2022
RBA Rising Stars, Young Artists Exhibition, ROSL Mayfair, April-July 2022
Figurative Art Now, Mall Galleries, 2021, July-Septtember 2021
Hampstead Art Society, The Fitzrovia Gallery, July 2021
RBA's Rising Star Exhibitions, ROSL, March 2021
New English Art Club, Mall Galleries, December 2020
Diploma Show, Heatherley School of Art, September 2020
Portobello Group of Artists Christmas Show, Fine Art Space Gallery, Dec 2019
Royal Institute of Oil Painters Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, Nov 2019.
Mr Heatherley Exhibition, Heatherleys School Of Fine Art, Nov 2019.
Diploma Show, Heatherley School of Art, Jul 2019
Group Exhibition “The Hive” Dalston. 2016.
“Look Here Not There” Solo Exhibition, Grapefruit Gallery. Aug-Sept 2015.
“Recent Works” Solo Exhibition, Priory House, London. Oct-Dec 2014.
“Coal” Solo Exhibition, The People's History Museum, Manchester. Jun-Jul 2014
“Art and Protest” Group Exhibition, Guerilla Galleries, London. April 2013.
“Degree Show” Chelsea Collage Of Art and Design, London. Jun 2012.
“Cable Street Exhibition” London. Jun 2011.
“Radical Roots Programme” The Jewish Museum, London. Oct 2011.
Prizes And Awards
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John Moors Prize Winner, Sep 2023
NEAC Scholar, July 2021
RBA Rome Scholarship Semi-Finalist, March 2021
The Peter Ashley Framing Prize, NEAC, Dec 2020
Heatherley Portrait Prize, Sep 2020
Alastair Adams PPRP Commendation, Sep 2020
John Walton Hands Drawing 2nc Prize, August 2020
Mr Heatherly Compostition Prize, Nov 2020
Daphne Todd Portrait Prize, Jul 2019
Publications
L.Rowley (2021)" Modern Day Heroes In Figurative Art Now" Mall Galleries Blog
R., Sanghani 11/11/2019) “I Thought I could never love my large nose-But then I had my Portrait Painted” Guardian
J., Peter, (2016) “China From Permanent Revolution to Counter-Revolution”. Well Red Books. Cover artwork.
C., Oldham, (2015) “In Loving Memory Of Work, A Visual Record Of The UK Miners' Strike 1984-85”. Unified Theory Of Everything.
N., Baldion, (2012) “Art And Socialism, Manifesto Of the Militant Art Group”. Well Red Books. Authorship.
Any queries or concerns?
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