Artist Statement
Steven Barritt is an artist, photographer and lecturer based in London. His photographic practice is focused on the idea of ambiguity and the slippage between the photograph and truth, surface and meaning. Starting from a conceptual engagement with research, the work often entails carefully constructed images that explore recurring themes of mythologising, performance, human relations, human endeavour, science and philosophy.
Employing different approaches and aesthetic strategies his practice explores our understanding of the world around us and the relationship between the real and the photographed representation. The transformative and performative nature of photography provides a framework for tactile experimentation, visualisation and considered assembly of images that play with ways of representing complex or problematic issues.
His work has been presented in varied publications and has been shown both nationally and internationally at institutions, exhibitions and festivals such as The National Portrait Gallery, The Photographers Gallery, The Moscow Museum of Modern Art, Recontre D’Arles, Voies Off, FORMAT, Riga Photo Month as well as diverse group shows and solo exhibitions.
Selected Exhibitions
| Nov 2020 |
"Born From Sea Foam" - Group Show - OFF Bratislava Festival, Bratislava |
| Nov 2019 |
"LensCulture Discoveries" - Group Show - Galerie Joseph, Paris |
| Jul 2019 |
"COSMOS" - Group Show - Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Oxford |
| May 2019 |
"Art on a Postcard" - Group Show - Photo London, Somerset House, London |
| May 2019 |
"The Ruth Borchard Self-Portrait Prize 2019" - Group Show - Piano Nobile, Kings Place, London |
May 2019 |
"To The Moon And Back" - Group Show - South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell |
| Apr 2019 |
"VeniceLands ArtPrize" - Group Show - Treveso, Italy |
| Apr 2019 |
"LUMEN - The Cosmic Sublime" - Group Show - The Pie Factory, Margate |
| Apr 2019 |
"S.E.L.F" - Group Show - Small Step, Liverpool |
| Mar 2019 |
"Forever Now" - Group Show - Format International Festival, Derby |
| Nov 2018 |
"The Self Portrait as Performance" - Artist Talk. - Factory 45 In association with Mina Raven, London |
| Sep 2018 |
"Portrait Of Britain" - Book. - Hoxton Mini Press |
| Sep 2018 |
"Portrait Of Britain" - Group Show. - Nationwide , Britain |
| July 2018 |
"BYOP" - Group Show. - Recontres D'Arles, Arles |
| July 2018 |
"Voies Off Awards" - Curated Projection. - Voies Off Festival, Arles |
| June 2018 |
"Coincident" - Joint Show. - PremArts, Berlin |
| May 2018 |
"New Chic" - Curated Projection. - Riga Photo Month, Riga |
| June 2017 |
"Art On A Postcard" - Group Show. - The Printspace, London |
| Jan 2017 |
"Myth & Lore" - Group Show. - Styx, London |
| Jun 2016 |
"Seeds" - Group Show. - The Vortegern Gallery, Margate |
| Apr 2016 |
"Best Portfolio" - Award. - Format Festival, Derby |
| Apr 2015 |
"Exposure" - Artist Talk. - The Photographers Gallery, London |
Nov 2013 |
"Of The Afternoon" - Group Show. - The Power Station Gallery, London |
| Feb 2013 |
"The Bigger Picture" - Group Show. - The Underground Gallery, London |
| Aug 2012 |
"The World In London" - Group Show. - Victoria Park & Park House, London |
| Jul 2012 |
"Underground Birthday Show" - Group Show. - The Underground Gallery, London |
| Feb 2012 |
"Dust and Scratches" - Group Show. - Moscow Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow |
| Jan 2012 |
"MDX MA Showcase" - Group Show. - The Underground Gallery, London |
| Sep 2011 |
"Human/ Nature" - Solo Show. - Ketchum Pleon - London |
| Nov 2010 |
Taylor-Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2010 - The National Portrait Gallery, London |
| May 2010 |
Fresh Faced And Wild Eyed 2010 - The Photographers Gallery, London |
| May 2010 |
AOP Student Awards 2010 - Association Of Photographers, London |
| Mar 2010 |
Sunday Times Style : Greatest Fashion Show On Earth - Westfield Shopping Centre, London |
| Feb 2010 |
On|Off Fashion week - Victoria House, London |
| Nov 2009 |
Taylor-Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2009 - National Portrait Gallery, London |
| Aug 2009 |
New Talent Student Showcase - Abbott Mead Vickers, London |
| Jul 2009 |
D&AD New Blood, London - Kensington Olympia, London |
| Jun 2009 |
RapidEye Interns Show, London - Studio D201, London |
| Jun 2009 |
FreeRange, Graduate Show - Old Truman Brewery, London |