Piers Bourke (1978) is a British and Irish contemporary multidisciplinary artist, with a career spanning more than two decades. His work is characterised by both globally recognized iconic symbols alongside a progressive print, collage and painting body of work
that illustrate his unique ability to develop proprietary processes using traditional techniques.
Bourke’s work is multi-faceted in structure and intention. His unique cultural perspectives and thorough understanding and use of artistic practices of style produces uncategorized artworks. He seamlessly fuses various cultural symbols into his pieces, depicting their historical uses within the constant emergence of change.
With a background in photography, Bourke had dedicated half his career to pursuing and producing innovations in digital media, in the form of three-dimensional works. These multi-media artworks are thought provoking and clever articulation of past and current societal topics. His iconic depictions of quintessential British imagery, including The Queen’s postage stamp and telephone boxes have catapulted Bourke to recognizable association with these symbols around the world. Capturing the essence of British heritage through his iconic collection, Bourke simultaneously developed an artistic practice that lent itself to the development of his Eastern Signals series and current collection.
The Eastern Signals series developed as a result of Bourke’s time living and setting up a studio in Singapore, and the convergence of cultural influences and lifestyles.
He stripped his subject matter back to capture the rapid movement of change that he witnessed. This collection brought Bourke back to the fundamentals of working predominately with paint on paper and then canvas. He initially created small abstract ink works on paper, before upscaling the technique and focusing on an aesthetic based loosely on Asian hand fans. Bourke developed a technique with which to paint the motif that mimicked the flow and function of the fan itself. Abandoning brushes for wooden blocks, he swept mineral pigments across the surface material, resulting in gestural marks with an agency and unpredictability unique to each movement of the artist. He infused a linear structure to the pieces through flashes of vibrant colour. The angular interventions on the paper form an important part of Bourke’s practice, as the first addition of layering which is now omnipresent in much of his work.
A hallmark of Bourke’s work emphasizes duality and movement. Taking the paper works created in Singapore as the basis of his practice, Bourke started to assemble installations that incorporated multiple layers.
Further pursuing the development and reintroducing of the three-dimensional into this practice, The Fan Series sees Bourke’s cutting technique evolve, allowing for a playful interaction with space. The rolled and sliced paper pieces deliberately reveal and
abstract the surface imagery beneath. The works are completed by his decision to allow the paper to break through the edge of the frame, no longer resigned to the plane of the canvas.
Bourke’s most recent works, are a move into near total abstraction. The process initially saw him working with paper, before moving on to canvas, with relentless aim of creating multi-layered paintings, challenging boundaries between sculpture and two-
dimensional art. In order to achieve the multi-layered appearance of the Fans, Bourke uses canvas for the materials durability, enabling him to manipulate, twist and weave the substance to ripple above the imagery below.
A sense of flow and continuation is apparent throughout this collection which are indicative of Bourke’s desire to embody the past integrating the shifts of change culturally and physically in life Bourke studied Fine Art at, Chelsea College of Art and the University of the West of England in Bristol.
He has exhibited globally in galleries with solo shows at Loughran Gallery, Air Contemporary, Rebecca Hossack Gallery, The Art Fellas in Singapore, and Art Taipei and One Art Taipei in Taiwan. His artwork resides in public spaces and private collections.
Background and studies
D.O.B. 18/8/78
University of the West of England Bristol – BA (Hons) Fine Art (1998-2001)
Chelsea College of Art and design (1997-1998)
CV - 2026
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
The Art of Communication – Air Contemporary - Ham Yard Soho London 2025
Solo- British Art Fair Saatchi Gallery London – Air Contemporary ,London 2023
cryptograph.com – Currency Explosion - 2021
Flying Home – Adam’s Row, Mayfair – London 2019
Piers Bourke Studio Singapore 2018
The Loughran Gallery, Home House Residency, London- 2016
The Art Fellas, The flight beyond Canvas, Singapore - 2015
Rebecca Hossack, “ The Philatelist” New York - 2014
Rebecca Hossack Gallery at Third Space Soho, London -2012
Rebecca Hossack Gallery at the Marylebone Hotel, London- 2011
Rebecca Hossack Gallery " Building perspective" London- 2009
Blue Flag Gallery, London- 2006
The Lennox Gallery, London- 2005
Work House Gallery, London- 2002
Spotlight, London -2001
GROUP EXHIBITIONS/FAIRS & GALLERIES:
Air Contemporary London Art Fair 2023
Air Contemporary London Ham Yard 2023-26
Air Contemporary – Henley Festival 2023
Hollandridge Group - Henley Festival 2022
Studio-ID .SG AAF Hong Kong/Singapore Shanghai 2021 -25
Studio-ID.SG One Art Taipei 2023
Studio-ID.SG One Art Taipei 2022
Studio-ID.SG, Art Taipei 2021
Rebecca Hossack London AAF 2020
Artemiss Singapore - 2020
Unit 4 studio opening – London – 2019
Artemiss Contemporary – Autumn Show – Singapore – 2019/20
Bruno Gallery , Singapore- 2016/18
Shonandai Gallery Tokyo – AAF – Singapore 2017
Loughran Gallery, London – 2015/25
Art Expo Malaysia, KL – 2015/16
RHG: Harpers Bazzar Jakarta – 2015/16 Art Central, Hong Kong 2015
RHG- Works on Paper, New York -2015
Affordable Art Fair- RHG - New York, Seattle, London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris,
Singapore, Hong Kong -2007/21
RHG - ART 13, ART 14 London -2013/14
RHG - LAPADA Art fair, London- 2013/14
RHG -Strarta, Saatchi Gallery, London- 2013
RHG -Hamptons Art Fair, USA- 2013/14
RHG -Southampton Art Fair , USA- 2013
RHG- Art Toronto , Canada- 2010/13
RHG- London Art Fair- 2008/13
RHG - 20/21 International Art Fair- 2008/15
RHG- London Print Fair, RA, London- 2010/13
-Cat Street Gallery - Signal 8 Summer Exhibition -, Hong Kong- 2010/14
Bernard Mourier Gallery, St Remy De Provence, France -2010/11
RHG- Open Art Fair, Utrecht Holland- 2009/10
RHG- Glasgow Art Fair- 2010
RHG - Art Sante Fe, USA- 2008
RHG. - Form Art Fair, London- 2008
RHG Art Dublin, Ireland -2007/08
Blue Flag Gallery London- 2005/07
Ap-Art Gallery, London- 2005/07
Christies, A Celebration of Harrow Art - 2006
Ardent Art- 2004 Urban Art Brixton, London -2003
Selective Commissions
Habitathokkaido.com – Niseko, Japan
Hyatt Hotel Group – Great Scotland Yard Hotel -London UK
Virtuous Retail, Waverly Hotel, Bangalore, India
Mayer Brown, London UK
Bain and Co. London UK