Biography: Stephen Walter is a London-based artist who has exhibited throughout the country and has work in a number of collections in the UK and abroad. Primarily concerned with Romantic ideas of landscape and beauty, Walter’s work draws upon torn desires to experience the awe of nature within urban and domesticated environments.
Realizing the tussle between environmental concerns and physical realities, Walter searches for the signs highlighting our relationship with the land and our ever-increasing detachment from nature as it continues to be destroyed for human purposes. Wonderment in natural beauty underlines a real or human side and is given space with the lures of the city and its cut offs.
Such ambivalence is summed up in the Wilderness Series, 2001, where the illusion of what appears to be an untouched and green wilderness beyond, is in fact a network of sub-urban gardens and houses. This was ironically attained by the focusing on a domesticated sheet of frosted glass in a bathroom. In New Parliament, 2000, the image is both digitally repaired and defaced with scratches and tagged marks, whilst concerning a very traditional building and the arrival of The Millennium Eye.
Alter photographically records chance meetings within contemporary landscapes, and then applies handmade marks in a multi-media approach ranging from drawing, painting, photography and digital processes. In order to leave his mark and to actualize a more abstract and esoteric relationship with the out side view, he creates an arena where personal expressions constantly attempt to repair and modify spurts of initially brash and unconsidered outpourings.
Awards: 2001 Tim Mara Charitable Trust (RCA Printmaking), London 2001 Daler Rowney Drawing Prize, Royal College Of Art, London 1998-2002 Apthorp Fund (Purchase Award), London 2000 Purchase College Travel Award, New York 1998 Letchworth Art Centre Print Prize, Hertfordshire
Exhibitions:
SOLO SHOWS 2003 Photoworks - The Vault @ Foundry, London. With guests - Mobil Clubbing 2003 Window - Electric Palace Cinema, Hastings. In conjunction with Shot By The Sea International Film Festival 2003 Cru Restaurant, London
GROUP SHOWS 20004 case-1 gallery, London 2004 Media centre - London 2003 Christmas Show - Vertigo Gallery, London 2003 Albino - 291 Gallery, London 2003 Walter & Craig - Foundry, London (Joint show with Andrew Craig) 2003 Drawing - Vertigo Gallery, London 2002 14“ X 14“ - Century Gallery, London 2002 30 X 30 - Vertigo Gallery, London 2002 Transgressing the City’s Edge - The Bull Theatre Gallery, Barnet (Joint Show with Kelly Bushell) 2002 Drawing - Vertigo Gallery, London 2002 Sale - Inside Space at Selfridges, London 2002 Vertigo Graphics - Vertigo Gallery, London 2001 Ghost - Inside Space, London 2001 MA Printmaking Artists - Clifford Chance, London 1998-2003 RCA Secret/Absolute Secret - Royal College Of Art, London 1998-2002 Apthorp Fund For Young Artists , Travelling Show, London 2000 Group Show - BBC Broadcasting House, London 1998 NEAC Open - The Mall Galleries, London 1998 Joint Show With Rachael McKraw - 60/40, Manchester 1998 First Open Print Show - The Place, Letchworth
Collections: Houses Of Parliament Museums Beatrice Trussardi, Nicola Trussardi Foundation, Milan Apthorp Fund For Young Artists, London Julian Machin, London Marc Samuelson, London Belair House, London Asticus Collection, London Royal College Of Art Drawing Collection, London Royal College Of Art Printmaking Archive, London
Commissions: 2003 Stefan Gec, Locus +, Newcastle Upon Tyne 2002 Queen Elizabeth’s Boys School, Barnet
Residencies: Artist in Access - Central St Martins (BA/MA Fine Art Printmaking Dept.) Artist in Residence - Queen Elizabeth’s Boys School, Barnet.
