Keith Cunningham: Paintings

Keith Cunningham was one of the most compelling and mysterious artists of the twentieth century. Born in Sydney, 1929, he left school at 15 to start work as a graphic designer. In 1949, he moved to London where he studied at the Central School of Design (now Central Saint Martins) before pursuing painting at the Royal College of Art in 1952.A very private man, Cunningham stopped exhibiting his paintings in 1967; his paintings from the 1950s and 60s were sealed inside his flat in Battersea for half a century until his death in 2014. Keith Cunningham: Paintings is a landmark publication that presents his paintings and drawings for the first time. The book features full colour reproductions of 108 paintings and 33 sketch drawings, with visible influences from Spanish masters, such as Goya, and Cunningham's contemporary Francis Bacon.The artworks are accompanied by a chronology, an illustrated essay from art historian James Cahill, as well as personal texts from Cunningham’s wife and fashion illustrator, Bobby Hillson, and abstract painter Frank Bowling, who modelled for Cunningham before attending art school himself. Published in a large-format hardback book, this is a unique title showcasing the work of a private yet remarkable artist.

Keith Cunningham (1929–2014) was born in Sydney, Australia. He worked as a graphic designer before moving to London in 1949 where he studied at the Central School of Design (1949–51, now Central Saint Martins) and the Royal College of Art (1952–55). Cunningham continued to paint, but kept his work private, until the end of his life. At the time of his death, his paintings were discovered at his flat in Battersea, and debuted in an exhibition at Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery in London, 2022.