"I have always been interested in this portrait of Alec Douglas-Home by Avigdor Arikha.
I saw it first in reproduction and was intrigued by the stark contrast between figure and background and also the composition, which seemed quite radical with the sitter being relegated to and cut by the edge of the canvas.
Despite the strong graphic shape of the figure there is a real freshness and economy in the handling of the paint. Arikha, who started out as an abstract painter, always painted his portraits in natural light, from life and in one sitting." Graeme Wilcox
Graeme Wilcox attended Glasgow School of Art 1989-93. Graduated BA (Hons) Fine Art. Exchange to Brighton College of Art, January - March 1992.
Since graduating from Glasgow School of Art, Graeme has continued practice as a painter, working in WASPS studios in the East End of Glasgow. Exhibiting regularly in London and throughout the UK, in group shows and one-man exhibitions. Recent larger work depicts people travelling through half-remembered spaces, situations and scenes based on memories both real and imagined. These paintings are partly an attempt to balance a sense of movement with a sense of stillness, a contradiction for which painting seems the ideal medium. Also working on a series of portraits of people sleeping and an ongoing series of anonymous character portraits.
Won Towry Best Painting prize at the National Open Art Competition at the Royal College of Art, London 2013.
Collaborated on a number of multi-media projects with Mischief-la-bas performance group and other artists, culminating in projects at the Arches and Tramway in Glasgow and the Albany Theatre in London. Organised two large-scale mural projects, in collaboration with East End Community Arts, for Greater Glasgow Health Board.
Devised and ran “Face to Face” photography project in the East End of Glasgow. This Arts Council funded project culminated in a temporary public artwork at the East End Festival in Glasgow.
Graeme Wilcox - Awards
Walter Scott Prize, RGI Annual Exhibition, 2016
Prince of Wales Drawing Award, Royal Society of Portrait Painters, London 2016
Stern Prize, Visual Arts Scotland 2016
Prize Winner Paisley Institute Fine Art 2015
Towry Prize, National Open Art Competition, RCA London 2013
Prizewinner Visual Art Scotland, RSA, Edinburgh. 2012
Prizewinner Paisley Institute Fine Art. 2009
Prizewinner Visual Art Scotland, City Art Centre, Edinburgh. 2009
Prizewinner Aberdeen Artist’s Annual Exhibition, 2008
Finalist Celeste Art Prize, London.2006
Prizewinner at Paisley Institute Annual Exhibition. 2006
Glasgow Art Club Fellowship award. 2004
Arthur Andersen Prize for Best Young Artist at RGI Annual Exhibition 1998.
Runner-up prize, Black Swan Publishers Award, London 1999.
The Cross Trust Award to finance new work.
Hope Scott Trust. Grant awarded to finance mixed-media work, combining printmaking with painting.
Collections
Work held mainly in private collections in UK, USA and Canada. Also in public collections in Petrezovodsk, Russia and the gulf state of Qatar. Large painting in the Royal Bank of Scotland Headquarters, Edinburgh. Portrait of Mr & Mrs R. Conway displayed in Conway Hall, London. Portrait of the Joint Senior Partners hanging in offices of Turcan Connell, Edinburgh. Walter Scott & Partners Collection, Edinburgh Prudential Collection, London. Standard Chartered Bank, London
Exhibitions (selection)
2019 RSA Annual Exhibition. Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh.
Scottish Portrait Awards, Scottish Art Club, Edinburgh.
Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition. Mall Galleries, London.
Two person show. Galerie van Campen & Rochtus, Knokke-Heist, Belgium.
Back to the Drawing Board. Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow.
2018 Royal Scottish Academy Annual Open. The Mound, Edinburgh.
Group Show, Thompson's Gallery, London.
Solo Exhibition, Galerie van Campen & Rochtus, Antwerp.
Columbia Threadneedle Prize Exhibition. Mall Galleries, London.
2017 Scottish Portrait Awards Exhibition, Edinburgh.
RSA Annual Open. Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh.
Group Show, Galerie van Campen & Rochtus, Antwerp.
Group Show, Thompson's Gallery, London.
2016 Discerning Eye Exhibition. Mall Galleries, London.
Group Show. Galerie van Campen & Rochtus, Antwerp.
Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts Annual Exhibition.
Visual Arts Scotand. Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh.
Gordon Smith Award Exhibition. Dovecot Gallery, Edinburgh.
2015 Society Scottish Artists, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh.
Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London.
Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries, London.
Lynn Painter Stainers Prize exhibition, Mall Galleries, London.
Visual Arts Scotland, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh.
2014 One man show. Open Eye gallery, Edinburgh
Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries, London
2013 One Man Show, Medici Gallery, London
Discerning Eye. Mall Galleries, London
National Open Art Competition. Royal College of Art, London
Collector’s Choice. Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh
Royal Society of Portrait Painters. Mall Galleries, London
2012 BP Portrait Award. National Portrait Gallery, London
Royal Portrait Society. Mall Galleries, London
Visual Arts Scotland. Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh
2011 Royal Portrait Society. Mall Galleries, London
RGI Annual Exhibition. Mitchell Library, Glasgow
Summer Exhibition. Medici Gallery, Cork St. London
2010 Two Man show. Medici Gallery, London
Group Show. Galerie van Campen, Antwerp
Caledonian Show, CFAG Eton.
The Portrait Exhibition. Blackheath Gallery, London
RSA Open. Edinburgh
2009 “From Life” Collins Gallery, Strathclyde University, Glasgow
National Open Art Competition, Chichester
Chase Art Show, Royal Academy, London
“Recent Paintings” Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh
Group Show, Galerie van Campen, Antwerp.
2008 One Man Show, Medici gallery, London
Chase Art Show, Royal Academy of Art, London
Aberdeen Artist’s Society, Aberdeen
Olympia Fine Art and Antiques Fair, London
2007 One Man show, Medici gallery, London
Summer show, Beaux Arts gallery, Bath
2006 Two man show at Medici gallery, London
Celeste Art Prize exhibition, London
RGI Annual Exhibition, Glasgow
London Art Fair, Islington, London
2005 “Under the Surface” Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh
The Nude at Medici Gallery, London
Chase charity exhibition. Royal Academy, London
2004 RGI Annual Exhibition, McClellan Galleries, Glasgow
Summer Exhibition at Blackheath Gallery, London
Fine Art & Antiques Fair, Olympia. London
2003 2 Man Show at Medici Gallery, London
Summer Exhibition at Blackheath Gallery, London
“Good Grief.” Collaborative project at the Arches, Glasgow
“Caledonian Show” at Eton Contemporary Fine Art
Art 2003 at Islington, London
2002 RGI Annual Exhibition, McLellan Galleries, Glasgow
Summer exhibition at Blackheath Gallery, London
Olympia Fine art & Antiques Fair, London.
2001 “The Next Man.” Solo show at Medici Gallery, London
RGI Annual Exhibition, Mclellan Galleries, Glasgow
Group show at Blackheath Gallery, London.
“Formative Years” Two man show at E73rd Gallery, Shoreditch, London
2000 Group Show at RGI Kelly Gallery, Glasgow
Blackheath Gallery, London
Eton Contemporary Fine Art Gallery, Eton
Thomson’s Gallery, London
1999 Morrison Portrait Award Exhibition at Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh
Group Show at Blackheath Gallery, London
RGI Annual Exhibition at McLellan Galleries, Glasgow
Aberdeen Artist Society Annual Exhibition.
Vault! Arches, Glasgow
1998 Group Show at Blackheath Gallery, London
Bull! Multimedia Show at Tramway, Glasgow
“Glasgow Talents” at Leith Gallery, Edinburgh
Lime Gallery, Laguna Beach, California
RGI Annual Exhibition, Glasgow
1997 Group show at Cricket Hill Associates, New York, USA.
Group show in Paris with Unicorn Fine Art.
BULL! Multi-media show at Albany Theatre, London
One Man Show at Bedford Hill Gallery, London
10+ International Art Exhibition, Karelian State Museum, Russia
