Overview
Paintings identity is an interesting crossroads and I try to reflect this through the painting chaotic visual spaces.
(Michael Stubbs, in conversation with John Chilver, ‘Short Studio Film’)

Stubbs is internationally recognised for the unique quality of his paintings, which are constructed by combining abstract configurations of transparent varnishes and opaque household paints with pop art graphic stencils. This layering produces multiple perspectives and optical depths. His contemporary language of abstraction is a play between material manipulation, three-dimensionality and physical space, and this language is formalised into a unique sense of composition and a rich sensual surface texture. As Barry Schawbsky wrote in the exhibition catalogue for Post Flat:New Art from London (2003), ‘Stubbs’s imagery seems constantly on the verge of converging into some form of cultural commentary, but the fundamental abstractness and even irrationality of his overlapping poured shapes seems calculated to prevent that – to insist on the painting as an agreement to disagree between wayward materials and stubborn intentionality’.

Works
Biography
Michael Stubbs (born 1961) is a British painter. After completing a Master’s Degree at Goldsmiths’ in 1990, Stubbs started exhibiting internationally in both group and solo exhibitions. He also curated a number of well reviewed exhibitions, inviting artists and curators to collaborate. Between 1999 and 2003 he returned to Goldsmiths to take a PhD in Fine Art; his thesis was entitled Digital Embodiment in Contemporary Abstract Painting.

2020-Present  

 Reader in Contemporary Painting, Glasgow School of Art (Glasgow University)
2015-20  0.6 Lecturer, Painting and Printmaking, Glasgow School of Art
2014-16  Associate Lecturer, Camberwell: University of the Arts London
2010-17     Lecturer, Sir John Cass School of Art &  Architecture, London Metropolitan University
2002-04       0.72 Associate Lecturer, Bath Spa University, Bath
1999-2003    PhD Bursary Lecturer, Goldsmiths, University of London
1991-2012 

Regular Visiting Lecturer, Bath Spa University, UK; Royal Academy of Arts, London;

Kent University, Canterbury, UK; Byam Shaw School of Art, London; Goldsmiths, University of London
   
Education  
1999-03           PhD Fine Art, Goldsmiths, University of London
1988-90 MA Fine Art, Goldsmiths, University of London
1984-87 BA(Hons) Fine Art, Bath Academy of Art
1978-79 Foundation Course, West Sussex College of Art and Design, Worthing
   
Solo Exhibitions    *denotes catalogue   + denotes curator/co-curator
2020     Small Scale Works, Reid Building Corridor, Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow
2017 Michael Stubbs, Cornerstone Gallery, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool
2015 Fireeye Shift, From Counsel, (with Laurent Delaye Arts Projects), Bloomsbury, London
  Michael Stubbs, Hollenbach Gallery, Stuttgart
2014 Michael Stubbs, The Avenue (with Adam Gahlin Fine Art), Mayfair, London
2013 Paintings/Prints/Drawings/Collages, Sir John Cass School of Art & Architecture Gallery, London Metropolitan University, London
2011 Fireeye Meltdown, Laurent Delaye Gallery, London
2010 Michael Stubbs, Laurent Delaye Gallery, London *
2009 Virus Prints, Laurent Delaye Gallery, London
  Virus Drawings, Rod Barton Gallery, London
2007 Michael Stubbs, Baro Cruz Gallery, Sao Paulo
  Michael Stubbs, Foyer Gallery, Space Studios, London
2006 Michael Stubbs, Hollenbach Gallery, Stuttgart, Germany
  Michael Stubbs, Street Gallery, GlaxoSmithKline, London
2005 Michael Stubbs, Marella Contemporary Art, Milan
2003 PhD Exhibition, Goldsmiths, University of London
2002 Michael Stubbs, Entwistle Gallery, London
1999 Michael Stubbs, Jerwood Project Space, London
1998 Michael Stubbs, Duncan Cargill Gallery, London
1997 Michael Stubbs, Concourse Gallery, Byam Shaw School of Art, London

 1996

 Michael Stubbs, Lotta Hammer Gallery, London
 1995 2 by 1, Curtain Road Arts, London
 1993 Michael Stubbs, Bipasha Ghosh, London
 1991 Michael Stubbs, Nicola Jacobs Gallery, London
   
Selected Group Exhibitions  
 2021 Signifiance(!), Carpenters Wharf Gallery, London +
  Disruptors, Unit 3, ASC Empson Street Studios, London
 

ATM Artists, Attercliffe TM, Sheffield
 2020 Winter Salon, Laurent Delaye Gallery, Ramsgate
  Sharing a View: Contemporary Art from Glasgow School of Art, Luxun Academy of Fine Arts, Shenyang, China; Tsinghua Universiy, Beijing, China; Guangzhou Academy of Fine Art, Guangzhou, China; Sichuan Institute of Fine Art, Chongqing, China *
  Bath Schools of Art & Design Alumni Show, Locksbrook Gallery, Bath Spa University, Bath
  Along Those Lines, House of St. Barnabas, London, curated by Clare Bradley
 2019 Dark Lantern, Sabine Knust Gallery, Munich
  Current Display: Work from the Collection, LAM - Lisse Art Museum, Lisse, Holland
  Painting at the Cass, Atrium Space, Sir John Cass School of Art & Architecture, London Metropolitan University, London
 2018 Not Dream of Islands, Palfrey Space, London, UK
  Fully Awake: Teaching Painting 3:5, Dyson Gallery, Royal College of Art, London *
  Superimposition, Partners & Mucciaccia Gallery, London + *
  Malevolent Eldritch Shrieking, Attercliffe TM, Sheffield
  Destroyed by Shadows, Cornerstone Gallery, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool +
2017 Collateral Drawing Archive, Brewery Tap Project Space, University for the Creative Arts, Folkestone Triennial *
  The Colour Suggestion: Between Abstraction and Figuration, Oscar Cruz Gallery, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  Unnatural Vibers, Unit 3, ASC Empson Street Studios, London +
  Print, Print, Print, Reid Building Corridor, Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow
  Show Us Your Process, House of St. Barnabas, London *
2016 Works on Paper, Hollenbach Gallery, Stuttgart, Germany
  Generate/Alternate: John Bunker, Michael Stubbs, Unit 3, ASC Empson Street Studios, London
  Collateral Drawing Part IV, Waterfront Gallery,University of Ipswich
2015 Back to the Future; 20 Years Galerie Hollenbach, Hollenbach Gallery, Stuttgart, Germany
  Works from the Collection, British Council, New Delhi, India *
  Talking With Deptford, Deptford X, London
  Autocatalytic Future Games, No Format Gallery, London
2014

When Elephants Come Marching In: Sixties Echoes in Todays Art, De Appel, Amsterdam
  Bad Copy: Museums at Night, Story Museum, Cardiff, UK
  Collateral Drawing, College of Art, Plymouth, UK
2013 Art Britannia – The Best of New British, Madonna Building, Miami, USA
  Postcards from the Studio, Acme Project Space, London
  Core Purpose, Laurent Delaye Gallery, London
  Summer Saloon Show, Lion & Lamb Gallery, London
  Drawing the Line, Artkapsule Editions @ Koleksiyon Showrooms, London
  Dirty Pop: Contemporary British Painting, & Model Gallery, Leeds, UK
  The Poster Show, Mayors Parlour, Plus Art Projects, London
2012 Porta Nigra: Black Gate, Hidde Van Seggelen Gallery, London  *
  The Mayor’s Parlour, Plus Art Projects, London
  Pencil and Paper, Poppy Sebire Gallery, London
  The Seven Lamps, Lubomirov-Easton Gallery, London
  Butterfly Effect, Artkapsule Editions @ Koleksiyon Showrooms, London  *
  Hallogallo, Sir John Cass School of Art&Architecture Gallery, London Metropolitan University, London  +
2011 Large Formats, Oscar Cruz Gallery, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  15 Years, Hollenbach Gallery, Stuttgart, Germany
  Rotate, Laurent Delaye Gallery, London
2010 Fast Forward: Contemporary British Art in Brazil, Sao Paulo Biennale, Cultura Inglesa:Brazilian British Cultural Centre, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  Contemporary Art III, Oscar Cruz Gallery, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  Gallery Display, Laurent Delaye Gallery, London
  Inaugural Show, Oscar Cruz Gallery, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  Use & Mention, Stephen Lawrence Gallery,University of Greenwich, London
2009 Supersurface FX, Hollenbach Gallery, Stuttgart, Germany +
  Supersurface, Laurent Delaye Gallery, London  +
  Paper View, John Jones Project Space, London
  Works on Paper, Hollenbach Gallery, Stuttgart, Germany
  The Sculpture Show: Oysters Ain’t, V22 Presents, London
  Hypersurface FX, Margini Contemporary Art, Massa, Italy +
2008 Superstratum, Koraalberg Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium + *
  John Moores 25: Contemporary Painting, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool  *
  100%, Mauger Modern Art, Bath
  Space Now, Space Studios Gallery, London
  Hypersurface: Painting in a Virtual World, OVADA Gallery, Oxford  +
  Hypersurface, Rod Barton Invites, London +
  Superscope, Monika Bobinska/Lounge Gallery, London  +
2007 British Painting, Hollenbach Gallery, Stuttgart, Germany
  Winter Exhibition, Contemporary Art Projects, London
2006 Salon Connexions, Contemporary Art Projects, London
  Ebb and Flow Part II, Raid Projects, Los Angeles  *
  John Moores 24: Contemporary Painting, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool  *
  Celeste Art Prize, Well Gallery, Truman Brewery, London  *
2005 About Painting II, Hollenbach Gallery, Stuttgart, Germany
  Painting: London, Holly Snapp Gallery, Venice, Italy
  Gallery Artists, Baro Cruz Gallery, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  Ebb and Flow, Three Colts Gallery, London  *
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

  

    

 

2004                                 Showdown Painting, Hengrove Art Space, Bristol, UK

                                         Revolution, Trailer Projects, London, UK

                                         22, Artspace 22, London, UK

                                         Worn Out Wash Monkeys, Powell Road, London, UK

                                         Gallery Artists, Entwistle Gallery, London, UK

                                         Stay Positive! Positivism and Abstraction, Marella Contemporary Art, Milan, Italy *

                                         Collezione#1, Isabella Brancolini Gallery, Florence, Italy

2003                                 Godzilla, Trailer Projects,London, UK

                                         Lexmark European Art Prize, Eye Storm Gallery, London, UK

                                         About Painting, Hollenbach Gallery, Stuttgart, Germany

Painting Per Se, AndreMillan Gallery, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Oscar Cruz Gallery, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil *

                                         Gallery Artists, Entwistle Gallery, London, UK

                                         New Abstract Painting: Painting Abstract Now, Museum Morsbroich, Leverkusen, Germany *

                                         Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Art, London, UK *

                                         Post Flat: New Art From London, Locks Gallery, Philadelphia, USA *

2002                                  Matt Franks, DJ Simpson, Michael Stubbs, Hollenbach Gallery, Stuttgart, Germany

                                         Gallery Artists, Entwistle Gallery, London, UK

                                         Painting as a Foreign Language, Cultura Inglesa:Brazilian British Cultural Centre, Sao Paulo, Brazil*

2001                                  Vivid, Richard Salmon Gallery, London, UK; Mead Gallery, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK;

                                         Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, Sunderland, UK *

                                         So Nearly Exotic, Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki, Finland +

                                         Teeth & Trousers, Cell Projects, London, UK

                                         Throb, Westland Place Gallery, London, UK +

2000                                  Assembly, Jubilee Street, London, UK *

                                         Include Me Out, Unit 6, London, UK

1999                                  Din/D-I-N, 4x4 Project Space, Amsterdam, Holland

                                         Elastic Abstract, Curtain Road Arts, London, UK; Spacex Gallery, Exeter, UK *+

1998                                  Cluster Bomb, Morrison/Judd Gallery, London, UK

                                         From Within, Juliet Gallery, Trieste, Italy *

                                         British Painting in the 90’s, Hollenbach Gallery, Stuttgart, Germany

                                         Minus, Duncan Cargill Gallery, London, UK

                                         Whitechapel Open, Whitechapel Gallery, London, UK

1997                                  World of Painting, Unit Gallery, London, UK *

                                         Renovate, Shoreditch Town Hall, London, UK

                                         Gallery Artists, Duncan Cargill Gallery, London, UK

                                         Traffic, Curtain Road Arts, London, UK

1996                                  Snuff - Tatort London, Christa Schubbe Gallery, Dusseldorf, Germany *

                                         Gallery Artists, Lotta Hammer Gallery, London, UK

Gerard Hemsworth, Paul Morrison, Michael Stubbs, Suzy Willey, Villa Dei Cesari, London, UK

                                         Fifty Quid, Derbyshire Street Studios, London, UK

Really out of Order, John Hansard Gallery, University of Southampton, UK; The Cornerhouse, Manchester, UK

                                         Out of Order, Independent Art Space, London, UK *

Drawn From Life: WEU Presidency Exhibition; Contemporary Art from the British Council Collection, Western European Union, Brussels, Belgium *

                                         Art 96, Curtain Road Arts at the Design Centre, London, UK *

1995                                  Cocaine Orgasm, BANK, London, UK

Gang Warfare, Independent Art Space; London, UK; McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas, USA; Le Consortium, Dijon, France *

                                         Hard Work - Shift 2, Exmouth Market, London, UK *

                                         That’s not the way to do it, PS2 Gallery, University of Northumbria, Newcastle, UK

1994                                  Potato, Independent Art Space, London, UK  

                                         Miniatures, The Agency, London, UK

                                         Punishment & Decoration, Hohenthal und Bergen Gallery, Cologne, Germany *

1993-97                            New Voices: British Painting 1989-93, Musee National d’ Histoire et d’ Art, Luxembourg;  Istanbul Greater Municipality Taksim Art Gallery, Turkey *;  Ankara State Fine Arts Gallery, Turkey;  Izmin State Painting & Sculpture Museum, Turkey;  Centre d’Art, Santa Monica, Barcelona, Spain *;  Museo de Bellas Artes, Bilbao, Spain; Centro Cultural  Galileo, Madrid, Spain;  Sala de Veronicas, Murcia, Spain;  Pescadera Vieja, Sala de Arte, Jerez, Spain;  Kulturhistorisches Museum, Magdeborg, Germany *;  National Theatre Gallery, Bucharest, Romania;  Art Halls of the Cultural Centre, Athens, Greece;  Cultural Centre, National Bank of Greece, Thessaloniki, Greece;  Russian Museum, St.Petersburg, Russia;  The Museum, Nizhni Novgorod, Russia;  Mirabachov Palace, Bratislava, Slovakia;  House of the Black Madonna, Czech Museum of Fine Arts, Prague, Czech Republic;  Museum of Modern Art, Skopje, Macedonia

1993                                  Mandy Loves Declan 100%, Mark Boote Gallery, New York, USA * +

                                         East, Norfolk Institute of Art & Design, Norwich, UK *

                                         Launch, Curtain Road Arts, London, UK +

1992                                  New Voices: New Works, British Council Collection, Centre Albert Borschette, Brussels, Belgium *

Joy & Pain, ICA, Amsterdam, Holland *

1991                                  Critics View, Foyer Gallery, Royal Festival Hall, London, UK

                                         Affordable Art, Connaught Brown Gallery, London, UK

                                         Gallery Artists, Nicola Jacobs Gallery, London, UK

                                         Winter ‘91, Nicola Jacobs Gallery, London, UK

1990                                  Whitechapel Open, Whitechapel Gallery, London, UK

                                         Hommage to the Square, Flaxman Gallery, London, UK

                                         Swimming Underwater, Imagination Design & Communication, London, UK *

                                         MA Show, Goldsmiths College, London, UK *

                                         76 46 01 46 British Contemporaries, Ecole des Beaux Arts, Grenoble, France

                                         Interim, Goldsmiths Gallery, London, UK

                                         Countdown, Chisenhale Gallery, London, UK

 

 

Selected Public Collections:

De van den Broek Foundation/Lisse Art Museum, Holland; UK Government Art Collection, UK; British Council, UK; BHP Oils, UK; Gibraltar Bank, Gibralter; Goldsmiths, University of London, UK; Groucho Club, UK; Kreditanstalt Fur Wiederaufbau, Frankfurt, Germany; Marsh Ltd, UK; Slough Estates, UK; BBC Soho House, London, UK; Texas Pacific, UK.  And numerous private collections throughout Europe, United States and South America           

 

Exhibitions
Bibliography

Selected Publications:

2020                                  Carl Robinson (Ed.), PhotographyDigitalPainting: Expanding Medium Interconnectivity in Contemporary Visual Arts Practice, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, UK

                                         Magnus Quaiffe, Mark Wright (Ed.), Teaching Painting International: Painting the New, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, UK        

2018                                  Ian Hartshorne/Sean Kaye, Fully Awake: Teaching Painting, Dyson Gallery, Royal College of Art, London, UK

Paul Carey Kent/Catherine Loewe/Michael Stubbs, Superimposition, Partners & Mucciaccia Gallery, London, UK

Ed. Carl Robinson, PaintingDigitalPhotography: Conjunction and Distinction in the Age of Media Equivalence, Cambridge Scholars Press, UK

2014                                  Mark Kremer, When Elephants Come Marching In: Sixties Echoes in Todays Art, De Appel, Amsterdam, Holland

2012                                 Mark Kremer, Porta Nigra: Black Gate, Hidde Van Seggelen Gallery, London, UK

2011                                  Terry Myers (Ed.), Documents of Contemporary Art: Painting, Whitechapel Gallery, London/MIT Press, Cambridge Massachusetts, UK

2010                                 John Chilver, Michael Stubbs, Laurent Delaye Gallery, London, UK

2008                                 John Chilver/Perry Roberts/Michael Stubbs, Superstratum, Koraalberg Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium

Ann Bukantas, John Moores 25: Contemporary Painting, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, UK

2006                                 Ann Bukantas, John Moores 24: Contemporary Painting, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, UK

2005                                  David Ryan, Interweave: Ebb & Flow, Three Colts Gallery, London, UK; Raid Projects, Los Angeles, USA

2004                                 Primo Marella, Stay Positive, Marella Contemporary Art, Milan, Italy

2003                                  Gerard Hemsworth/Suhail Malik, Painting as a Foreign Language, Centro Britanico Barzsiliero, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Ute Reisse, New Abstract Painting; Painting Abstract Now, Museum Morsbroich, Leverkusen, Germany

Frederick Cuming, Royal Academy Illustrated 2003, Selection from 235th Summer Exhibition, London, UK

Barry Schwabsky, Post Flat, Locks Gallery, Philadelphia, USA

2002                                  David Ryan, Vivid, Richard Salmon Gallery, London, UK; Mead Gallery, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK; Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, Sunderland, UK

Suhail Malik, Painting as a Foreign Language, Centro Britanico Barzsiliero, Sao Paulo, Brazil

1999                                 Tom Trevor, Elastic Abstract, Spacex Gallery, Exeter, UK

1996                                  Stuart Morgan, Out of Order, IAS, London, UK; John Hansard Gallery, University of Southampton, UK; Cornerhouse Gallery, Manchester, UK

1995                                 Adrian Searle, Works for a Complex Age, New Voices: British Council, Germany/Romania

1994                                 Michael Corris, Punishment & Decoration, Hohenthal und Bergen Gallery, Cologne, Germany

1993                                 Stuart Morgan, Mandy Loves Declan 100%, Mark Boote Gallery, New York, USA

Gill Hedley & Andrea Rose, New Voices, British Painting 1989-93, British Council, Turkey/Spain

Linda Morris, East, Norfolk Institute of Art & Design, Norwich, UK

1992                                 Gill Hedley & Andrea Rose, New Voices, British Council, Belgium/Luxembourg

Mark Kremer, Joy & Pain, ICA, Amsterdam, Holland

1990                                 Dick Hebdige & Nicholas DeVille, The Concept,The Business,The Art, (Design - Art's Anxiety)

Swimming Underwater, Imagination Design & Communication, London, UK