Billy Childish - Painting

Painting

As a prospective student lacking the necessary entry qualifications, Childish was accepted into art school four times on the strength of his paintings and drawings. He studied foundation at Medway College of Design in 1977-78, and was then accepted onto the painting department of St Martins School of Art in 1978, before quitting a month later. He was reaccepted at St Martins in 1980, but was expelled in 1982 for refusing to paint in the art school and other unruly behaviour. At St Martins, Childish became friends with Peter Doig with whom he shared an appreciation of Munch, Van Gogh and blues music. Doig later co-curated Childish's first London show at the Cubit Street Gallery. In the early/mid 1980s Childish was a "major influence" on the artist Tracey Emin, whom he met after his expulsion from St Martins when she was a fashion student at Medway College of Design. Childish has been cited as the influence for Emin's later confessional art. Childish paints in a personal style, which parallels his passion for the elemental in both writing and music. He has exhibited extensively since the 1980s and was featured in the British Art Show in 2000. Since 2002 Childish has been represented in London by the L-13 Gallery, along with Jamie Reid and James Cauty (with whom sometimes collaborates). In 1996 Childish painted "The Drinker", influenced by Hans Fallada's novel of the same title. He has cited Fallada as a major influence on his own prose work, notably in the novel "Sex Crimes of the Futcher". In 2008 Childish commenced a series of paintings based on the life and death of the Swiss author Robert Walser, whom Childish has also cited as an influence on his prose work. In 2008 Childish made several paintings of the steam paddle tug John H Amos which was moored on a pontoon at Rochester. In 2010 a major exhibition of Childish's recent paintings, writing and music was held at The ICA London, with a concurrent painting show running at White Columns Gallery in NY. Childish is represented by neugerriemschneider Berlin, and Lehmann Maupin, NY.

• In 5 Minits You'll Know Me (sic), oil on canvas, 1997

• Thumbprint, oil on canvas, 1997

• Man Walking in Snow, oil on canvas, 1999

• Hand on Face, oil on canvas, 2000

• North Beach, San Francisco, oil on canvas, 2000

• St. John's Church, Chatham, oil on canvas, 2000

• Tea Drinker, High Atlas, oil on canvas, 2007

• John H Amos 1, oil on canvas, 2008

• John H Amos 2, oil on canvas, 2008

• John H Amos 3, oil on canvas, 2008