Falling somewhere between reality and fiction my work attempts to explore the mysteries of English landscape. Places loaded with histories and associations (some barely perceptible or ‘only in the eye of the beholder’, some immersive and inescapable).I draw on locations possessed by occult atmospheres or attributes, or associated with myth and legend (imbued with past narratives). A stone circle or haunted coastline perhaps, or the middle of nowhere—which we may understand as being most definitely somewhere. I am interested in places that are in some way persuasive, with qualities that may not be immediately identifiable or explicable.
Falling somewhere between reality and fiction my work attempts to explore the mysteries of English landscape. Places loaded with histories and associations (some barely perceptible or ‘only in the eye of the beholder’, some immersive and inescapable).I draw on locations possessed by occult atmospheres or attributes, or associated with myth and legend (imbued with past narratives). A stone circle or haunted coastline perhaps, or the middle of nowhere—which we may understand as being most definitely somewhere. I am interested in places that are in some way persuasive, with qualities that may not be immediately identifiable or explicable.
The aim of the work is to engage with such locations in both a contemporary and historical context through a process of reimagining, and in this way the paintings and films become an interpretative mirror or filter: an investigation of the condition of place / landscape and the peculiarities of Englishness from both a personal and shared historical vantage point.
It is hoped the resulting images are perhaps latent landscapes; the reverse or underside of the superficial view enabling place / landscape to reveal itself anew.
Stephen Harwood, born Shropshire, 1972.
MA Fine Art, Central St Martins 2010.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
Distant Fires - Solo Show
Studio 1.1, London (2017)
All-in-One, a Projected Only loop-group show
Piazza Martiri della Libertà, Chiari, Italy (2016) – curated by Linda Alborghetti & Marco Bellini
Osman’s Bazaar
Studio 1.1, London (2016) curated by Daniel Devlin
Diffusion
The Bargehouse, Oxo Tower, London (2016)
Mews #2: Routes
JakBox Gallery, London (2016)
Digital Wasteland
Eiger Studios, Leeds (2016)
Film Night 25:8:16
Hackney Picturehouse (2016) – curated by Stephen Harwood & Warren Garland
Summer Salon
Lubomirov Angus-Hughes Gallery, London (2016)
Europa
Transition Gallery ShopSpace, London (2016) – curated by Luci Eyers
Film Night 21:4:16
Hackney Picturehouse (2016) – curated by Stephen Harwood & Warren Garland
ArtConverters III
Studio 1.1, London (2016)
Postcardwall – 365 at Stourspace
Stour Space, London (2015) - curated by Sophie Hill
Summer Salon
Angus Hughes Gallery, London (2015)
The Red Files
Schwartz Gallery, London (2015) - curated by Ismail Erbil
Wotever Film Festival
Cinema Museum, London (2015)
Lotus Land Video Evening
Changing Spaces, Cambridge (2015) - curated by Philip Cornett & Paul Kindersley
Postcard Gardens Oxford House Gallery, London (2015) – curated by Sophie Hill
Film Night 29:5:15
Hackney Picturehouse (2015) – curated by Stephen Harwood
Kirsty Buchanan / Ami Clark / Warren Garland / Stephen Harwood / Paul Kindersley / Mark Scott-Wood
Red X Mas
Studio 1.1, London (2014)
Common Ground - Andrew Graves / Stephen Harwood
Studio 1.1, London (2014)
Visions of England
Solo exhibition Atlantis Bookshop Gallery, London (2014)
The Male Figure V
Kunstbehandlung KG, Munich (2014)
ArtConverters II
Studio 1.1, London (2014)
Atomic
60 Ravenscourt Road, London (2013): Transition Gallery off-site project
IMG-TXT-MSG
Studio 1.1, London (2013) programme of events included a talk by Stephen on his painting
A Northern Sensibility
Strata Art Fair, Saatchi Gallery (2013)—with Philips Contemporary Art
Owl Service
Transition Gallery, London (2013)
A Foreign Country
Studio 1.1 at Braziers House, Oxfordshire (2012) Stephen Harwood / Craig Andrews / Dai Roberts
Get Carta
Karin Janssen Project Space, London (2012) - curated by Stephen Harwood
Equinox
Transition Gallery, London (2012)
Postcardwall
Vegas Gallery, London (2012)
Mall Galleries, London (2012)
Idle Worship
Centre for Recent Drawing, London (2012)—curated by Paul Kindersley
ArtConverters
Studio 1.1, London (2012)
Cephalopod Salon
159 Cassland Rd, London (2012) - curated by Mark Green and Guy Oliver
The Postcard Show
Surface Gallery, Nottingham (2012)
Pulp Fictions
Transition Gallery, London (2011)
Local
Karin Janssen Project Space, London (2011)
Heartlands
DownStairs Gallery, Great Brampton House, Herefordshire (2011)
Art Blitz
Transition Gallery, London (2010)
MA Degree Show
Central St Martins, London (2010)
Necessary Illusions
The Bargehouse, London (2010)
PolyTek
Water Lane, Exeter (2009) with fellow MA Fine Art students
The Damned and the Saved
Studio 1.1, London / Standpoint Gallery, London (2008)
The Marmite Prize
Studio 1.1, London (2008)
Awopbopaloobop
Transition Gallery, London (2008) - curated by Alex Michon
The Painting Room
Transition Gallery, London (2008)
Notting Heaven
Sartorial Contemporary Art, London (2007/8)
Progression
Ferreira Projects, London (2007)
Peer Esteem
Five Years, London (2007)
The Doctor Who Project - Solo Exhibition
Nancy Victor Project Space, London (2007)
Private Prop
Residence Gallery, London (2007)
Gallery Artists
Philips Contemporary Art, Manchester (2007)
Images of Lost Content - Solo Exhibition
Nancy Victor Project Space, London (2006)
The Marmite Prize
Residence Gallery, London (2006)
Grotto
Studio 1.1, London (2006)
Peace Camp
Brick Lane Gallery, London (2006) - curated by Bob and Roberta Smith
Summer Show
Contemporary Art Projects, London (2006)
Childhood, An Exploration - Solo Exhibition
Indo, London (2005)
Acid Drops & Sugar Candy
Transition Gallery, London (2005), Contemporary Art Projects / FosterArt, London (2005)
CURATORIAL PROJECTS
Get Carta, Karin Janssen Project Space, London (2012)
WRITING
Time Out, The Guardian, Garageland (Issue 13, Paint), Artwednesday.com
SELECTED PRESS
i-D, Arty, Tangent, Garageland, Sunday Times, Art-Review, The Independent, Vogue, Radio 5
