Artist

Charles Avery

Charles
Photograph by Nicholas Sinclair

Charles Avery’s fluid yet meticulously detailed drawings explore the porous relationship between imagination and reality, fact and fiction. Staged as momentary glimpses of life on what he calls simply ‘The Island’, they depict innumerable characters’ existence in a fabled environment, integrating impulse and invention with his own memories and lived experience.  

Largely self-taught, Avery was born in Oban, Scotland, and now lives and works in London. The Islanders: An Introduction, was first exhibited at Parasol Unit Foundation for Contemporary Art, London in 2008, before continuing to tour Scotland and Rotterdam respectively. In 2007 he represented Scotland at the 52nd Venice Biennale, and in 2008 a publication on his work was produced by Parasol Unit and Koenig books.

His solo exhibition ‘It Means It Means!’ opened at Galerie Perrotin in July 2013, before continuing to open at Pilar Corrias Gallery in November of the same year.