Nationality British Known for Painting | Name John Kirby Role Artist | |
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Books John Kirby: Absent Friends Similar Brian Aldiss, Joe Allen (painter), Hurvin Anderson | ||
The living and the dead paintings and sculpture by john kirby
John Kirby (born 1949 in Liverpool, England) is a British artist known for his paintings exploring issues of gender, religion, sexuality, and race. His work has been compared to that of René Magritte, Balthus and Edward Hopper. Kirby has exhibited internationally and his work is held in several collections including the Tate Gallery, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the Royal College of Art.
Contents
- The living and the dead paintings and sculpture by john kirby
- Early life
- Career
- Solo exhibitions
- Public collections
- In popular culture
- References
Early life
John Kirby was born in Liverpool in 1949 and grew up in Tuebrook. He was raised Irish Catholic and attended Saint Cecilia’s primary school as well as serving as an altar boy. When he was 16, Kirby left Liverpool to work in London as a shipping clerk and then traveled to Calcutta to help in a children’s home headed by Mother Teresa. After moving back to Liverpool, he trained as a social worker and then worked as a probation officer before enrolling in art school at the age of 33.
Career
Kirby trained at Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art in London. He has created a large body of work that includes both painting and sculpture and has cited his religious background as a strong influence, as well as the “ambiguity of sex and gender” in his work. Kirby’s first major retrospective was held at the Walker Art Gallery in 2012, with more than fifty of his paintings and several of his sculptures. His work has been described as “bleak and lonely” and dominated by “solitary figures in strange worlds.”
Solo exhibitions
Public collections
In popular culture
Kirby's "Self Portrait 1987" is seen on-screen, and referenced by the character Armand Goldman (Robin Williams) in the 1996 film The Birdcage. In a scene early in the film, Armand defends the fine art in his home to his son, Val (Dan Futterman), who requests his father "tone it down." Armand exclaims, "The Kirby? That's art!"