Fine art and fine writing are the grains of Toby Christian’s creative practice. Precise and objective, his artworks can be seen as post-modern dérives; close readings which position a viewer, a reader, in new emotive proximities with the ‘stuff’ of his subject matter—be this the arbitrary and mundane or the antiquated museological.

editions

press and media

Image as language | review by Shin Hui Lee, 2023

Bruised Stones | text by George Vasey, 2019

Toby Christian | interview with Max Slaven, 2017

Gavin Turk Selects | feature Dazed, 2012

24 Artists to Watch | feature in Modern Painters, 2012

Unseen Blows | review by Amy Sherlock, 2012

Artist biography

Toby Christian (b. 1983, Boston, Lincolnshire, UK) studied at Wimbledon College of Art, London before completing his postgraduate training at the Royal Academy Schools in 2012, where he was awarded the Gold Medal.

Select exhibitions include: no odonata, Belmacz, London, UK (2023); Interpolations II, Galerija Prozori, Zagreb, Croatia (2022); Lazy Bones, Casanova, São Paulo, Brazil (2021); Derma, an online exhibition, Baró Galeria, Palma, Spain (2020); Der Bote ist der Tote, Mauve, Vienna, Austria (2020); Burners, Alessandro Albanese, Milan, Italy, (2019); Old School New Body, Gallery Celine, Glasgow, UK (2019); Parallel Vienna, with Judith Leupi, presented by Gallery Celine, Glasgow, UK (2018); Mantel, Copperfield Gallery, London, UK (2018); The News, curated by David Dale Gallery, Glasgow, for Swimming Pool, Sofia, Bulgaria (2017); Quiz 2, MUDAM, Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, Luxembourg (2016); Pedestrian Confetti, Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun, Leeds, UK (2015); A Bunch of Keys, nam Project, Milan, Italy (2015); The Plastically Parroting, Intermedia, Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow, UK (2014); A Belgian Fence, RH Contemporary Art, New York, USA (2014); The Tread and the Rise, Baró Galeria, São Paulo, Brazil (2013); Drawing Biennial 2013, The Drawing Room, London, UK (2013); Unseen Blows, Seventeen, London, UK (2012); Aspiration Factory, Aeroplastics Contemporary, Brussels, Belgium (2012); Transcending, LARM Galleri, Copenhagen, Denmark (2010); Psychedelia Paradise, Galerie D’Art Contemporain, Toulouse, France (2009); Stage Hands, Fold Gallery, London, UK (2009).

To date, Toby has published three books: Commuters, Koenig Books (2021); Collar, Koenig Books (2017); Measures, Koenig Books (2013). His writing has also been published internationally via platforms such as Parrhesiades, This Long Century and Art Licks.

Toby lives and works in London, where he is a Senior Lecturer in Fine Art at Central Saint Martins, London (UK).