Michael Fullerton
Encyclopedia
Michael Fullerton is a Scottish artist living and working in London
. He is primarily a portraitist and paints in a traditional style.
). He attended the Glasgow School of Art
and graduated from the MA painting programme in 2002.
Michael Fullerton trained as a painter. His work includes painting, printmaking and sculpture. He works with portraiture, referencing the 18th century portraitist, Thomas Gainsborough
, and combining aesthetic with political concerns, his mode described by Roberta Smith of the New York Times, as "a well-trained if so far unoriginal way with paint."
He has painted Lady Cosgrove, seen as a feminist pioneer for being the first female judge in Scotland, in a work titled Lover, which refers to the artist's love of oil painting, as well as of the "romance" of political action. Another portrait was of Paddy Joe Hill, one of the Birmingham Six
, exonerated sixteen years after wrongful conviction for the IRA bombing of pubs in Birmingham
. Initially Hill had approached Fullerton to buy Lover for the offices of the organisation he had founded, MOJO UK (the Miscarriages of Justice Organisation
). Fullerton felt it was not an appropriate location for the work, and painted a full-length portrait of Hill instead.
In 2005, his work was shown at Tate Britain
in a solo show in the Art Now series, and The Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow
in the solo show Suck on Science. His solo show Are You Hung Up? was shown at the Transmission Gallery, Scotland as well as Counter Gallery, London in 2003. His show entitled Get Over Yourself was shown at Greene Naftali, New York
, in December 2006. He was included in Tate Triennial 2006, a three-yearly survey of new art.
His most recent solo show was "Columbia", which was shown at the Chisenhale Gallery, London between 9th September and 24th October 2010.
He is represented by Carl Freedman Gallery, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He is primarily a portraitist and paints in a traditional style.
Life and work
Fullerton was born in Bellshill, ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
). He attended the Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art is one of only two independent art schools in Scotland, situated in the Garnethill area of Glasgow.-History:It was founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Government School of Design. In 1853, it changed its name to The Glasgow School of Art. Initially it was located at 12 Ingram...
and graduated from the MA painting programme in 2002.
Michael Fullerton trained as a painter. His work includes painting, printmaking and sculpture. He works with portraiture, referencing the 18th century portraitist, Thomas Gainsborough
Thomas Gainsborough
Thomas Gainsborough was an English portrait and landscape painter.-Suffolk:Thomas Gainsborough was born in Sudbury, Suffolk. He was the youngest son of John Gainsborough, a weaver and maker of woolen goods. At the age of thirteen he impressed his father with his penciling skills so that he let...
, and combining aesthetic with political concerns, his mode described by Roberta Smith of the New York Times, as "a well-trained if so far unoriginal way with paint."
He has painted Lady Cosgrove, seen as a feminist pioneer for being the first female judge in Scotland, in a work titled Lover, which refers to the artist's love of oil painting, as well as of the "romance" of political action. Another portrait was of Paddy Joe Hill, one of the Birmingham Six
Birmingham Six
The Birmingham Six were six men—Hugh Callaghan, Patrick Joseph Hill, Gerard Hunter, Richard McIlkenny, William Power and John Walker—sentenced to life imprisonment in 1975 in the United Kingdom for the Birmingham pub bombings. Their convictions were declared unsafe and quashed by the Court of...
, exonerated sixteen years after wrongful conviction for the IRA bombing of pubs in Birmingham
Birmingham pub bombings
The Birmingham pub bombings occurred on 21 November 1974 in Birmingham, England. The explosions killed 21 people and injured 182. The devices were placed in two central Birmingham pubs – the Mulberry Bush and the Tavern in the Town . Although warnings were sent, the pubs were not evacuated in time...
. Initially Hill had approached Fullerton to buy Lover for the offices of the organisation he had founded, MOJO UK (the Miscarriages of Justice Organisation
Miscarriages of Justice Organisation
The Miscarriage of Justice Organization is a charity dedicated to human rights and to changing the criminal justice system in order to reduce the number of miscarriages of criminal justice and increase the level of professional after-care for victims....
). Fullerton felt it was not an appropriate location for the work, and painted a full-length portrait of Hill instead.
In 2005, his work was shown at Tate Britain
Tate Britain
Tate Britain is an art gallery situated on Millbank in London, and part of the Tate gallery network in Britain, with Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. It is the oldest gallery in the network, opening in 1897. It houses a substantial collection of the works of J. M. W. Turner.-History:It...
in a solo show in the Art Now series, and The Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
in the solo show Suck on Science. His solo show Are You Hung Up? was shown at the Transmission Gallery, Scotland as well as Counter Gallery, London in 2003. His show entitled Get Over Yourself was shown at Greene Naftali, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, in December 2006. He was included in Tate Triennial 2006, a three-yearly survey of new art.
His most recent solo show was "Columbia", which was shown at the Chisenhale Gallery, London between 9th September and 24th October 2010.
He is represented by Carl Freedman Gallery, London
Solo shows
- 2001 Art in the Square Glasgow
- 2002 Tramway Glasgow
- 2002 Andrew Mummery Gallery London
- 2002 Jenny Saville/Glen Luchford: Closed Contact, Gagosian GalleryGagosian GalleryGagosian Gallery is a contemporary art gallery owned and directed by Larry Gagosian. There are currently eleven gallery spaces: three in New York; two in London; one in each of Beverly Hills, Rome, Athens, Paris, Geneva, Hong Kong and Moscow.-1980s:...
, Beverly Hills. - 2003 Are You Hung Up?, Transmission Gallery, Glasgow
- 2003 Generator Projects, Dundee
- 2005 Suck on Science, CCA, Glasgow
- 2005 Art Now, Tate Britain, London
- 2010 Columbia, Chisenhale, London