Clive Head

Born in Kent in 1965, Clive Head is a contemporary British painter renowned for his innovative approaches to urban landscapes. His works are characterised by a fusion of hyperrealism and layered spatial perspectives, combining elements of mathematics, chaos theory, and intuitive painting. Initially gaining prominence in the 1990s, his paintings often challenge traditional notions of perspective and realism, offering multifaceted views of urban environments. Works from his early period have been exhibited at numerous museum exhibitions dedicated to Photorealist Art, including at the Museo Thyssen-Bornemsza, Musee d’Ixelles, Tampa Museum of Art, and the Kunsthal.

In 2010, Head's work was featured in "Clive Head: Modern Perspectives" at the National Gallery, London, which coincided with the "Venice: Canaletto and His Rivals" exhibition. This showcase emphasized his exploration of urban spatial dynamics. His paintings are celebrated in public and private collections worldwide, reflecting their global impact and appeal.

Head’s life-long fascination with the work of Nicholas Poussin became the subject of an installation at Dulwich Picture Gallery in 2013. He produced a vast, impossible landscape of the subterranean halls of Victoria Underground Station to echo the structures of Poussin’s classical arcadia, which then became the subject of a film documentary by Bill Cran (From Victoria to Arcadia, Invision).

By 2014, his approach evolved further, focusing on intuitive, metamorphic imagery and abandoning mathematical precision. These later works incorporate elements reminiscent of Cubism and Futurism, creating layered narratives within a single canvas. In 2024, he embarked on a new project to create a remarkable series of realist paintings which embraced both his earlier and more recent interests; the Lily of the Lower East Side is one of these.