[ Kirsty Harris ]

Kirsty Harris (b.1978) was raised in Yorkshire and lives and works in east London – with a studio at Chisenhale Arts Place.

Solo exhibitions include: ‘There will come soft rains' CHARLIE SMITH LONDON, London (2025) That Lethal Cloud’ StudioKIND, Devon (2023) ‘Heavy Weather’ Splice, Perseverance Works, London (2023) ‘Intervention’ DIY performances during the 59th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy (2022) ‘A Foul and Awesome Display’ Vane Gallery, Newcastle Upon Tyne (2019), How I Learned to Stop Worrying (19450-2016) CFCCA, Manchester, UK (2016)

Duo shows include: ‘Paradice Lost’ (sic) with Stuart Robinson, Plymouth Art Weekender, UK (2017),  ‘Women Walked Onto the Base Last Tuesday’ with Carol Harris, Indo, London (2016) 

Group exhibitions include: 'Nothing more was ever said' Warbling Collective, London (2024) 'How long is forever' Galerie 37, Berlin (2024) 'London Art Fair' Vane Gallery, London, (2024) 'Beyond the Gaze - Reclaiming the Landscape' Saatchi Gallery, London (2023) ‘Two Plus Two Makes Four’ The Auxiliary Project Space, Middlesbrough (2023) ‘The Subversive Landscape’ Tremenheere Gallery, Cornwall, UK (2023) ‘Royal Academy Summer Exhibition’ Royal Academy of Arts, London (2022) ‘Contemporary British Painting Prize’ Huddersfield Art Gallery and ASC Gallery, London (2019-20)

Harris explores nuclear explosions as cultural, historical and iconic symbols in her practice. Referencing the scale, beauty and abhorrent nature of the atom bomb she delves into the periphery of the subject, the myths, characters and surrounding evidence. She works across a wide range of media from vast oil paintings, tapestries & projections to delicate paintings on glass and ceramics you could hold in your hand. Scale is an important aspect of her practice. For instance, in the painting Charlie, each square inch of linen represents 4 tons of TNT – Which in turn is the unit of measurement used to signify the yield of the explosion. Kirsty is fascinated by the beauty and awe of the landscape, the dust, the glow, the force of the explosion. 

"In this master plan to kill ourselves off, we’ve shown ourselves the end."