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Statement

As part of my artistic practice, I paint, draw, write, make music and am constantly learning about how these things can help people be together. I primarily make figurative work because I have a fascination with people. I use both real and imagined individuals as subjects but also explore how our interactions with each other can reveal more profound questions about how the world is structured. I create work that is bright, fluid and embraces imperfection, to mirror qualities in the world I want to see myself.

I arrived at painting not through formal education but through many years playing in punk bands and working within learning disability arts as creative support for artists and musicians. Both of these experiences profoundly influenced the way I approach making work and think about art.

For one, rhythm is an intrinsic part of my practice, in the way I think about each of us having our own, the way I apply paint, use drums as a canvas and have drums within installations to play. Second, is appreciating the privilege of accessing art whenever I want. This means I enjoy creating work unashamedly but also question the structures that exclude many from doing the same. I get to experience an abundance of joy through work and I seek to capture, record and share these experiences through my painting.

CV

Born 1981
Lives in Hastings, works in London and the South Coast

2015 – present - Associate Artist, Heart n Soul, London
2022 - 2023 - Flatlands Early Career Studio Programme
2018 – 2021 - Conditions Studio Programme

Exhibitions

2023 - The Spinners - Flatlands Projects, Bexhill-on-Sea
2022 - My burger is about fair and equal - Colden’s, St Leonard’s-on-Sea
2022 - Helping Hands - Sanford Vitrine, London
2021 – RIDE - Big Rat Studios, Hastings
2021 – Zoomin’ - with Robin Smith - Skelf, Online
2021 – The Drum Also - Conditions project space, London

Selected Group Exhibitions

2023 - John Moores Painting Prize, Walker Gallery, Liverpool
2023 - Exeter Contemporary Open, Phoenix Gallery, Exeter
2023 - Baggage Claim - Staffordshire St, London
2021 - CONDITIONS End Of Year show - London
2020 - The Potion Room - Subsidiary Projects, London
2019 - CONDITIONS End Of Year show - London
2019 - Tube Lines - Tate Exchange, London
2019 - Satellite Studio - V&A Museum, London
2019 - In a Small Room, Very Loudly - Conditions, London

Awards / Residencies

2023 - Prize winner, Exeter Contemporary Open
2022 - 2023 - Artist in Residence at Turing School in association with Towner Gallery and the Turner Prize
2019 - 2020 Tate Modern, Artist in Residence, Schools and Teachers department
2019 - Fusion Fund award, Help Musicians UK

Publications / Presentations

2023 - Do Your Own Thing - Rough Trade Books (print)
2021 - DIY as Privilege: 13 point manifesto for musicians - in Media Studies Reader (Third Edition), Routledge (print)
2021 - Guest Lecture, London College of Communication
2021 - Guest Lecture, Goldsmiths College
2021 - 21 in Underpinned by the Movements of Freighters edited by Joe Moss (print)
2020 - DIY as Privilege - A Manifesto - Rough Trade Books (print)
2020 - Critical Pedagogy in Contested Space - Tate, Speaker
2019 - How Far We Can Go - Conference, Hong Kong - Speaker
2019 - MUSOC Conference, York St John University - Speaker
2018 - DIY as Privilege: 13 point manifesto for musicians - Goldsmiths Fringe and Underground Music Group (print)
2016 - Astigmatism: Sight Paintings - Makina Books - Solo catalogue of paintings (print)

Richard Phoenix

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