Matt Bannister is an artist from Surrey, living and working in south London. He is fascinated by the quirks and shapes of the urban environment, producing figurative paintings and drawings with detail and strong composition. The work is a response to the sights that many might take for granted: be it small found objects or unfamiliar views of city landscapes. He constructs the scenes carefully, controlling the lighting and positioning each element and figure in the frame. After studying fine art at Lancaster University, he worked for the BBC for 14 years as a photography producer and art director for their marketing department. A desire to pick up the paintbrush and pencil again, prompted a return to producing his own work and creating imagery for others. He has been a studio holder at Turf Projects in Croydon, London, since 2017.
“I am fascinated by the people, streets and shapes of urban life. My work is a response to the sights around us that many might not notice. The drama created by natural and artificial light on a seemingly benign city scene attracts me. Strong shadows and highlights can transform the familiar into something more atmospheric, and compelling. The scenes and views are scenarios we might have all encountered but maybe not stopped to notice properly.”
February 2023
contact: info@bannisterimages.com
Selected Exhibitions - Competitions - Public Realm
2024 - Guildford House Open 2024 - (group), Guildford House Gallery: 23rd Nov - 1st Mar 2025
2024 - Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize 2023 Tour - (group), The Turnpike Gallery, Leigh, Wigan
2024 - Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition 2024 - (group), RA, London. Selection: Anne Desmet RA
2024 - Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize 2023 Tour - (group), The Levinsky Gallery, University of Plymouth
2024 - The Derwent Art Prize 2024 - (group), gallery@OXO, London.
2024 - Royal Society of British Artists Annual Exhibition - (group), Mall Galleries, London.
2024 - Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize 2023 Tour - (group), TheGallery, AUB, Bournemouth.
2024 - Solastalgia - (group), Turf Projects, Croydon, London.
2024 - Creative Croydon - Group project showing artwork on town centre lamp-post banners for Croydon B.I.D.
2023 - The ING Discerning Eye Exhibition 2023 - (group), Mall Galleries, London.
2023 - Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize 2023 - (group), Trinity Buoy Wharf, London.
2023 - Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition 2023 - (group), RA, London. Selection: Eileen Cooper RA
2023 - Town House Open 2023 - (group), Town House, Spitalfields, London
2023 - SFSA Drawing Open 2023 - (group), no format Gallery, London
2023 - Jackson’s Painting Prize 2023 - [long list selection]
2022 - Front Garden - (group), Turf Projects, Croydon, London.
2022 - SFSA Painting Open 2022 - (group), no format Gallery, London
2022 - ING Discerning Eye 2022 - (group), Mall Galleries, London. Selection: Gurinder Chadha OBE and Kate Enters
2022 - Spread - (group), Turf Projects, Croydon, London.
2022 - Jackson’s Painting Prize 2022 - [long list selection]
2021 - Matt Bannister & Salina Jane - (joint), Matthews Yard, Croydon, London.
2021 - The Marks We Make - (group), online, The Curator’s Salon, curated by Gita Joshi
2020 - The ING Discerning Eye Exhibition 2020 - (group), online. Selected by David Remfry RA and Mervyn Metcalf. Winner: ING Discerning Eye Cityscape Prize
2020 - The Unsung Heroes of CR0 - (group), Matthews Yard, Croydon, London.
2020 - Exhibition 104 - (group), Amina Malik Gallery, London
2019 - Poster Prize for Illustration 2019: London Stories - (group), London Transport Museum, London
2019 - Jackson’s Open Painting Prize 2019 - [long list selection]
2019 - Serf N Turf - (group), Serf, Wharf Street, Leeds
2018 - Oaks Editions Lithography Exhibition - (group), Riverside Gallery, Richmond
2017 - Featured Artist - (solo), Studio Upstairs, Croydon, London.
2017 - Wild and Civilised - (group), The Space at Cass Art, London
2016 - Bad Behaviour Open 2016 - (group), Brixton East 1871, London
2016 - Solo exhibition, The Brook, Wallington, Surrey
2016 - Rounded Corners - (solo), Cafe Adagio, Croydon, London.
2015 - Year of The Bus Sculpture Trail - (group), Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London
2014 - Open House London - (group), Crystal Palace Bowl, London
2013 - James Balston & Matt Bannister - (joint), Crystal Palace Station, London
2013 - Londonist Underground - (group), Bishopsgate Institute, London