Robert Priseman

Who is Robert Priseman?

Robert Priseman is a British artist. Born in Derbyshire, United Kingdom Priseman read Aesthetics and Art Theory at the University of Essex under art theorist Professor Michael Podro. Priseman began his working life as a book designer for Longman Publishers from 1989-92. While there he started painting portraits in oils. Sitters from this period include the Dalai Lama, the Duke of Atholl, Phil Collins, Jeremy Paxman, Lord Condon, the Marquess of Northampton, Sir Eric Mensforth, Lord and Lady Johnston and Cardinal Basil Hume with work being held in public collections including The Royal Collection, Windsor Castle, Corpus Christi College, Cambridge and Cranfield University.

In 2004 Priseman gave up portrait painting and began work on the ‘Hospital’, ‘Subterraneans’, and ‘The Francis Bacon Interiors’ series of paintings. The ‘Subterraneans’ series took their primary source from the 1977 album ‘Low’ by David Bowie. Painted over the course of 2004–2006, the images depict spaces such as train stations, underground walkways and waiting rooms. The ‘Hospital’ series was also painted between 2004-6, with the work drawing on a renaissance understanding of perspective and architectural forms, influenced by the art deco movement. These works were first exhibited at Derby Museums and Art Gallery in 2007, being shown as a tie-in with the Joseph Wright collection.