Peter McDonald

McDonald's artworks scrutinize intricate facets of human behavior, steadily assembling an endless encyclopedia of images and scenarios.  

Biography of Peter McDonald

Peter McDonald was born in 1973 in Tokyo, Japan. He completed his studies at St. Martins School of Art in London in 1995 and graduated from the Royal Academy Schools in 2000.

In 2008, the John Moores Painting Prize was bestowed upon him, and in 2009, London Underground commissioned McDonald to create "Art for Everybody," a large-scale billboard installation at Southwark Station.

In 2017, he received a fellowship at the British School at Rome. In 2022, Peter McDonald was appointed as a short-term visiting Fellow at Jesus College, Oxford.

McDonald's paintings have been exhibited widely. His recent solo exhibitions include "Peter McDonald" at Kate MacGarry in London (2021), "Sampo" at Gallery Side 2 in Tokyo (2021), "This, That and the Other" at Dio Horia in Greece (2018), "Mushrooms of Language" at Kate MacGarry in London (2017), and many more.

Additionally, the artist has participated in numerous group exhibitions, including "100 Hooks" at Blunk Space in Point Reyes (2023), "TWENTY" at Kate MacGarry in London (2022), "CONDO hosting Edouard Malingue Gallery" at Kate MacGarry in London (2019), among others.

Currently, Peter McDonald lives and works between two cities, London and Tokyo.

Peter McDonald's Art Style

Peter McDonald depicts multicolored visions of our world, portraying extravagant figures with oversized balloon heads engaged in various settings, from hairdressing salons to football pitches. These scenes capture activities that mirror the contemporary realms of recreation and work.

His use of vibrant colors and universal subject matter defines a realm that harmonizes lucid realism with vivid distortions, replete with references to modern life such as iPhones, queueing, fashion shows, and cafés. McDonald's artworks delve into pictorial space by playfully exploring perspective and form. This heightened sense of reality serves as a conduit through which the artist articulates experience and meaning.

Inspiration strikes him from various sources, and he frequently discovers compelling ideas during his commute to the studio, observing streets. This experience provides him with a sensory gateway into a vision, engaging both sight and sound.

Regarding materials, McDonald favors acrylic gouache for its opaque matte finish, providing a flat appearance on the support he employs.