Desert Hunt by Philip Colbert Exhibition Poster

Colbert brings pop back to British painting with a bang, transporting historical icons alongside today’s celebrities and motifs. The artist’s visual set of references include Salvador Dali’s lobster telephone, Lichtenstein’s hot dog, David Hockney’s swimming pool, Francis Bacon’s distorted portrait, Man Ray’s ball bearings, William Shakespeare with a pint in hand and Grayson Perry as his alter ego Claire.

These figures are juxtaposed against a visual vocabulary of mass culture, Tesco signs, emojis, umbrellas, Cornflakes boxes, jars of Golden Shred Marmalade and mugs of builder’s tea and biscuits. Central to each composition is Colbert’s trademark lobster who narrates these epic works.