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Staff Profile

Professor Richard Talbot

Emeritus Professor of Contemporary Drawing

Background

Introduction

I am an artist whose work includes large scale drawings, sculpture and video/installation. My research and studio practice is centred on contemporary drawing, but I am also particularly interested in the theory, history and practice of perspective in relation to Fine Art, thinking, and to culture more generally. I held an AHRC Fellowship in the Creative and Performing Arts from 2004 to 2009 at Newcastle.

https://research.ncl.ac.uk/sacs/fine_art/staff/richardtalbot/

Background

Richard Talbot studied at Goldsmiths’ College and at Chelsea School of Art. In 1980 he was awarded the Rome Scholarship in Sculpture and spent two years at the British School at Rome, where he took the opportunity to travel widely throughout Italy and Egypt. His large pencil drawings have been seen in exhibitions such as the Jerwood ‘Drawing Breath’, and his other research has been published, for example, in the Nexus Network Journal, Speculations on the Origins of Linear Perspective, and in ‘Writing on Drawing’ (ed.Steve Garner) published by Intellect Books, Bristol and Chicago, 2008.

His interest in drawing, and in particular his use of perspective, has developed out of originally making sculpture and finding that drawing and the investigation of line, plane and space, lay at the root of much of his theoretical and creative concerns. This in turn has led to an investigation into many areas of drawing practice - but in particular, the role that linear perspective plays in that practice. His studio work and research raises interesting and important questions about perspective's significance and use within contemporary art practices, and of our broader understanding of its nature, history and origins.

https://www.interaliamag.org/interviews/richard-talbot/

Roles and Responsibilities: Richard retired from the University in 2025 becoming an Emeritus Professor.

Previously: Director, Institute for Creative Arts Practice (2019-25). Head of Fine Art (2015-19), Head of Research in Fine Art and Head of Research in the School of Arts and Cultures. MFA Degree Programme Director, and Head of Postgraduate Studies in Fine Art. AHRC Research Fellow in Creative and Performing Arts, 2004-09.

Qualifications

1980-1982 British School at Rome, Rome Scholarship in Sculpture

1979-1980 Chelsea School of Art, MA Sculpture

1976-1979 Goldsmiths’ College, University of London, BA Fine Art, 1st Class

Previous Positions

1984-96 PT lecturer Chelsea School of Art. 1984- 2004 PT lecturer in Sculpture and Drawing at The City and Guilds of London Art School. Visitor to various colleges including: Goldsmiths' College, Chelsea, Royal Academy Schools, Wimbledon, Middlesex, Camberwell, Norwich, Sunderland, Kingston, Byam Shaw, Exeter and Northumbria University.

Research

Research Interests

Drawing, and in particular, the history, theory and use of Linear perspective. Sculpture and Installation

Current Work

Drawing and writing relating to the completed AHRC funded project 'An enquiry into the contemporary use of Linear Perspective'. Drawing, and the historical and contemporary use and meaning of linear perspective, including its use within computing and virtual media.  'Ideal Cities' and perspective's relationship to architectural design. Leonardo's use of perspective and other geometric drawings.

Research Roles

Head of Research in Fine Art, and UoA Coordinator 2012-2014.  Head of Research in the School of Arts and Cultures. Head of Postgraduate Studies. Chair of School Research Committee. Admissions tutor for taught postgraduate and Postgraduate Research students.

Postgraduate Supervision

Fine Art practice, drawing and sculpture. Currently supervising five PhD students.

Esteem Indicators

2004/09 AHRC Fellowship in Creative and Performing Arts
2002 Rootstein Hopkins Award
2003/04/05 Arts Council North East Awards
1988/98/2001 Northern Arts Awards
1996 Northern Print Award
1987 8th Cleveland International Drawing Biennale Prize
1984/85 GLAA Awards
1980 Rome Scholarship in Sculpture
1980 New Contemporaries Prizewinner, ICA, London

2013 Paper delivered at IDRI, Donghua University, Shanghai

2010 Paper delivered at Association of Art Historians Annual Conference, Glasgow.

2010 Paper delivered at Renaissance Society of America's Annual Conference, Venice

2008 Drawing on Consciousness, Symposium presentation, CultureLab
2007 Presenting research paper at ECVP 2007, Arezzo
2007 Work curated for 'Drawing #1' in Axis online.
2007 Invited to contribute to 'Writing on Drawing', Intellect Books, ed. Steve Garner.
2007 Member of selection panel for Northern Print Bursaries
2006/07 Invited exhibitor, Drawing Breath, Jerwood Drawing Prize
2006 Invited speaker, 'Drawing Board' symposium, Lincoln University
2005 Invited by Royal Mint to submit new designs for British Coinage
2004 Westminster Abbey: RAF Coastal Command Commission
2003 Shortlisted for Comme Ca Art North Prize, Manchester

Solo Exhibitions

2013 Platform A Gallery, Middlesbrough

2007 Hatton Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne
2001 Queen’s Hall, Hexham
1999 Globe Gallery, North Shields
1999 Woodlands Gallery, London
1987 Wolfson College, Oxford
1985 International Contemporary Art Fair, London
1984 Showroom, London
1983 Bakehouse Gallery, London
1983 LYC Gallery, Cumbria

Selected Group Exhibitions

2013 Altered Spaces, Globe Gallery, Newcastle

2009 In Between the Lines. Trinity Contemporary, London
2006 Jerwood Special Exhibition, UK tour, Australia and Singapore
2006 Space, Time and other stuff. Red Box Gallery, Newcastle
2005 Sculpture:time and process, The Study Gallery, Poole
2004 Jerwood Drawing Prize
2004 Red Box Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne
2004 Comme Ca Art Prize North, Manchester
2001 Jerwood Drawing Prize
2000 Cheltenham Open Drawing and Tour
2000 Drawing the Line, Globe Gallery, North Shields
1997 National Open Print Exhibition, London
1996 Cheltenham Open Drawing
1996 Northern Print, Hatton Gallery
1993 11th Cleveland International Drawing Biennale & Tour
1991 10th Cleveland International Drawing Biennale & Tour
1990 A View of the New, Royal Overseas League, London
1989 Presidents Choice, Royal Academy/Arts Club, London
1988 Royal Overseas League, London
1987 8th Cleveland International Drawing Biennale and Tour
1987 London Group, RCA, London
1985 7th Cleveland International Drawing Biennale and Tour
1985 5th Tolly Cobbold Eastern Arts Exhibition and Tour
1982 Museum of Modern Art, Rome
1981/82 British School At Rome
1979 New Sculpture, Ikon Gallery, Birmingham
1978/80 New Contemporaries, ICA, London

Funding

2004-09 AHRC Fellow in the Creative and Performing Arts
2002 Rootstein Hopkins Award
2003/04/05 Arts Council North East Awards
1988/98/2001 Northern Arts Awards
1996 Northern Print Award
1984/85 GLAA Awards
1980 Rome Scholarship in Sculpture (1980-82)

Keywords

Perspective, linear perspective, drawing, geometry, sculpture, renaissance, space, line.

Publications