bio
biography
My name is Lee Wagstaff I was born in 1969 in London, I am an English artist living in Berlin.
I studied at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and the Royal College of Art in London and Kyoto City University of Arts, Kyoto, Japan. I have exhibited my body, large format photographic self-portraits and graphite works at art and performance venues worldwide. One performance was featured in the Ornament Und Abstraction show at the Beyeler Foundation, Basel, Switzerland and I was the first Western artist to be featured in the Art Annual, Kobe, Japan.
In 2007 I co-founded the artists project space RISE berlin and acted as its director and curator until 2013.
“Shroud”, a self-portrait screen printed in my own blood, was included in the Victoria & Albert Museum exhibition Impressions of the Century — 100 Years of the Fine Art Print.
statement
My works could be seen as a series of proposals which invite further qualification and refinement. I am interested in how art can be used as a tool to reorder the world around me and how this aesthetic order could have a consoling or agitating effect, or even both. A recurring theme in my work is pattern, I am drawn to patterns that predict and perhaps defy cosmic order. When I make art I think about whether it is still possible to make images and objects that embody ideas of faith, beauty and truth.
“LEE WAGSTAFF’s works ideate a symbolic mythology built around darkness and light; good and evil”. – ARTITIOUS Website
c.v.
Education
- MPhil Royal College of Art (2014 -)
- Australian Stunt Academy (2001)
- MA Royal College of Art, London, England (1998-2000)
- Kyoto City University of Art, Kyoto, Japan (1999)
- BA (Hons) Central St.Martins College of Art and Design (1992)
Solo Exhibition
- Against Nature – Berlin, Germany (May 2020)
- Pangolin – Berlin, Germany (March 2020)
- Information Overlord – Jealous, London UK (Oct 2019)
- Apophenia – Berlin Germany (April 2019)
- A Sows Ear Never Intended for Purse-hood – Berlin Germany (Mar 2019)
- Operation Dog – Berlin Germany (Nov 2018)
- Sharp Attack Gentle Decay – Berlin Germany (July 2018)
- Humble Like an Earthworm – Berlin Germany (March 2018)
- A World Without God – Berlin Germany (Nov 2017)
- I Remember Sea + Sky – Berlin. Germany (June 2016)
- Turn the Heater On – Berlin. Germany (Nov 2014)
- Bodyscanner – Berlin, Germany (May 2013)
- Baptism – The Others – Turin, Italy (November 2011)
- I am the Weapon – Rise Berlin, Berlin, Germany (June 2011)
- Apostles – Rise Berlin – Berlin, Germany (April 2009)
- Baptism – Rise Berlin – Berlin, Germany (November 2007)
- Apostles – Space 44 – London, England (April 2005)
- Baptism – ACAD – Calgary, Canada (November 2004)
- Baptism – The Proposition – New York, USA (September 2002)
- Baptism – Javogue and Ingalls Fine Art – Miami, Florida, USA (February 2002)
- Baptism – Belgrave Square – London, England (January 2002)
- Baptism – Gallery Edward Mitterrand – Geneva, Switzerland (September 2001)
- Baptism – Gallery Valerie Cueto – Paris, France (May 2001)
- Baptism – Gallery Engelhorn – Vienna, Austria (March 2001)
- Baptism – Gallery Seine 51 – Paris, France (March 2001)
Group Exhibitions
- Summer Exhibition – The Royal Academy of Arts, London (June 2023)
- @Background Bob and his amazing friends – Firstsite, Colchester (April 2023)
- Illusions, Galerie SLP – Berlin (Dec 2022)
- 10th Annual Supersonic Invitational, Harman Projects – New York, USA (Aug 2022)
- Summertime Rolls – Tacheles, Berlin (July 2021)
- Summer Exhibition – The Royal Academy of Arts, London (June 2020)
- Ornament als Versprechen – Ludwig Forum Aachen (Sept 2018)
- Instinct # 6 – Village Berlin (Sept 2018)
- Jealous Needs You – Jealous Gallery London (July 2018)
- Summer Exhibition – The Royal Academy of Arts, London (June 2018)
- Summer Exhibition – The Royal Academy of Arts, London (June 2017)
- Bowie Collector – Sothebys, London (November 2016)
- Derwent Art Prize” 2nd Prize Winner, London (September 2016)
- Summer Exhibition – The Royal Academy of Arts, London (June 2016)
- The body and the human form – Victoria & Albert Museum (March 2016)
- Herencia del Arte – San Jose, Costa Rica (April 2014)
- In the Flesh – Tonbridge (January 2014)
- Derwent Art Prize – London (September 2013)
- Tape Modern No.25 – Tape, Berlin (January 2012)
- The Face of Jesus in My Soup – RISE berlin, Berlin (December 2011)
- Happiness Machines – RISE berlin, Berlin (March 2010)
- Summer Exhibition – The Royal Academy of Arts, London (June 2010)
- Lingering Whispers – The Crypt, St.Pancras, London (May 2010)
- Celestial Contrakt – Schwartz Gallery, London (November 2009)
- Summer Exhibition – The Royal Academy of Arts, London (June 2009)
- Poetic Madness and the Romantic Imagination – RISE Berlin, Berlin (December 2008)
- Leben Lieben – RISE Berlin, Berlin (September 2007)
- Board of Tattoos – London (October 2006)
- Everyday Shockers – Escape, London (September 2004)
- Summer Exhibition – The Royal Academy of Arts, London (June 2003)
- Naked Before God – Museum of New Art, Parnu, Estonia (June 2003)
- Express – A Journey Through the RCA Print Archive – Study Gallery Poole, England (March 2003)
- The Fourth Sex-Adolescent Extremes – Stazione Leoplado, Florence, Italy (January 2003)
- Sacred Century – Victoria & Albert Museum, London, England (February 2002)
- Impressions of the 20th Century – Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England (September 2001)
- Ornament Und Abstraction – Fondation Beyeler, Basel Switzerland (June 2001)
- What’s Next From London – Orion Gallery, Ostend, Belgium (May 2001)
- Typical Men – Touring Exhibition (2001) including; Museum of Modern Art Glasgow, Scotland, Djanogoly Gallery, Nottingham, England and First Sight at The Minories, Chelmsford, England
- Life’s What You Make it” Design Museum, London (November 2000)
- Circle – Henry Peacock Gallery, London (2000)
- Ra to Hi – Kobe Art Village, Kobe, Japan (October 2000)
- Swastika – Show Gallery, Kyoto, Japan (December 1999)
Awards, Fellowships and Residencies
- Frans Masereel Print Centre – Research Residency (June 2013)
- Royal College of Art Printmaking Research Fellow (2000-2001)
- Waterstone – RCA Award (2000)
- Kyoto City University of Art – Travel Award (1999)
Collections
- Victoria & Albert Museum
- David Bowie Collection
- RCA print archive
- Various private collections in Turkey, Japan, India, USA and throughout Europe
Commissions / Collaborations
- ‘Flesh and God’ A Dialogue Between Contemporary Artists and The Catholic Church of France (2003)
- Karlheinz Weinberger- new publication (2003)
- BowieArt Print Project (2001)
- Mercedes Benz/Esquire C-Class Commission (2000)
Lecturing / Teaching
- The Slade School of Fine Art
- University of East London
- Winchester School of Art
- Royal Academy of Arts School
- The Royal College of Art
- Alberta College of Art & Design
- Surrey Institute of Art & Design
- The Minories Colchester
- Kobe Art Village
- The Victoria & Albert Museum
Bibliography
- Le Christ au miroir de la photographie contemporaine Nathalie Dietschy Publisher: Editions Alphil 2016 (ISBN:978-2-88930-088-4)
- Skull Sourcebook, A. Nozedar (2015) Publisher: Race Point (ISBN-978-1631061585)
- Forever: The New Tattoo, R. Klanten (2012) Publisher: Gestalten (ISBN-10: 3899554426)
- Lingering Whispers, Predrag Pajdic (2010), Publisher: The Pandorian (ISBN: 978-0-9553309-1-9)
- 100,000 Years of Beauty, Elizabeth Azouley (2009), Publisher: Gallimard (ISBN-10: 207012844X)
- Prints Now: Direction and Definition, Gill Saunders & Rosie Miles (2006), Publisher: Victoria & Albert Museum (ISBN-13: 978-1851774807)
- L’autoportrait au XXe siècle: Moi Je, par soi-même (2004), Pascal Bonafoux Editeur: Diane De Selliers (ISBN: 2903656290)
- Hidden Histories, Michael Petry (2004) Publisher: Art Media (ISBN: 190288910X)
- A Guide to Ecstacity, Nigel Coates (2003) Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press (ISBN-10: 1568984243)
- L‘ Eglise ET l’art d’avant-garde, De la provocation au dialogue (2003), by Monsignor Albert Rouet/Gilbert Brownstone (ISBN: 2 226 1135529)
- ARS Erotica (2003 re-print), by Edward Lucie Smith (ISBN: 084720602)
- The Fourth Sex: Adolescent Extremes (2003), Ed. Francesco Bonami/Raf Simmons
(ISBN: 8881 584042) - Art Tomorrow (2002), by Edward Lucie Smith (ISBN: 0847820602)
- Ornament and Abstraction: the Dialogue Between non-Western, Modern & Contemporary Art (2001), Ed. Marcus Bruderlin (ISBN: 0300092261)
- Impressions of the 20th Century, Fine Art Prints form the Victoria & Albert Museum Collection (2001), Ed. Margaret Timmers (ISBN: 1851773398)
- Typical Men-The Male Body in Photographs by Men (2001), by Michael Watson
- Ambit 162 (2000), Ed. Martin Bax/Eduardo Paolozzi (ISSN: 0002-6772)