The Living and The Dead - Paintings and Sculpture by John Kirby

Back in February 2012 I went to John Kirby’s The Living and Dead exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool. I was not only tantalised by his artwork but drew inspiration from the exhibition and John Kirkby’s personal story. Here is a little bit about the art and the man behind it. I personally took these pictures at the Walker art gallery. I apologise for the poor quality.

Head
Painted in 2005

Biography

John Kirby was born in Liverpool in 1949. He grew up in a working class family and was a regular visitor to the Walker Art Gallery. He worked at a number of jobs, including as a shipping clerk, a salesman in a Catholic bookshop and as a social worker.

Boy in a White Suit
Painted in 2003

In his mid-30s Kirby decided to go to art school. He attended St Martins’s School of Art (1982-85) and the Royal College of Art (1986-88). He now lives and works in London.

Island Boy
Painted in 2005

Kirby works mainly in oil paint on canvas, but in the past 18months, he has started making ceramic sculptures, mostly using air-dried clay. The exhibition at the Walker Art Galley was John Kirby’s first solo show in Liverpool. It spans his whole career, from early student works to the recent sculptures. The complexities of childhood, gender, religion, sexual orientation and race are among the themes that emerge from his distinctive and haunting work.

White Wedding
Painted in 2006

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