Mark Burrell
Mark Burrell (1957) is a British Artist, born and resident in Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK. He spent a year during his childhood in Libya. Returning to Lowestoft he studied art at Lowestoft College but considers himself self-taught.
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Burrell has won numerous prizes for his art including winning the Lucy Morrison Memorial Prize. His work has also featured in books and in magazines, including illustrations for 'The Iron Bridge' by John Ward. He is also conjointly with Peter Rodulfo a leading member of the North Sea Magical Realists.
Critical appraisal
In a career now spanning several decades, Burrell has exhibited his paintings throughout East Anglia, London, and the USA, receiving much critical acclaim, including the following -
- Burrell's work is obsessive and probing, revealing underlying elements that question ones sense of self. A psychotic surrealism that is a refreshing assault on ritualised aesthetics [1]
- The paintings by Mark Burrell convey rare command of a very peculiar and very English painter, for Mark is essentially a story teller who employs pigment rather than words to construct allegories, fables and fictions. His fantastic narratives are as much concerned with plot, setting and character as they are with line space and colour.[2]
- …(His) paintings are colourful and often very personal, and at times very mysterious indeed, these paintings can be looked at again and again, there are touches of humour as well as the darker side of life, from strange green beings growing out of bushes, communing with ghosts, to sheep in fields flying.[3]
- Mark paints symbolist figurative oils with psychic, religious or political themes, often dealing with intense states of mind or emotion, a highly patterned world in beautiful states of decay. [4]
- His work has a visionary quality to it, which embraces deep rich colours of mysterious blues through to purples. The pictures come to life through delicate lighting whether it is a full moon, sunset, or from some magical source.
Media appearances
Burrell has frequently appeared on British TV including-
- * Anglia Television Programme – Coastal Inspiration's Interviewed in Studio and Work Exhibited Series Lowestoft
- * BBC2 TV Programme Matter of Fact Cabbage Patch War (Nov 1996)
- * Anglia Television – The Front Row Paintings Exhibited (Nov 1995) Presented by Shaun Meo
- *Anglia Television Programme Moving Art Awarded First Prize. Presenter George Melly, interviewed by Sister Wendy Beckett and prize awarded by Bill Oddie (November 1991).
- * Anglia Television Programme – Personal Interview and Paintings Exhibited (August 1991)
- * Mustard TV 2016 – Artwork shown in documentary 'Bendy Caravans and Everlasting Pens ‘ A Portrait of Evered Wigg’ written and produced by Nick Murray-Brown http://www.nickmurraybrown.co.uk/film.htm
Exhibitions
2017
- The Tripp Gallery London - The North Sea Magical Realists
- Buckingham Gallery Southwold
- Waveney and Blyth Arts http://waveneyandblytharts.com/ – Within Our Midst – Art trail and visit to Marks studio
- Open Studios – Artist Studio open to public June
- Resident Artist – Ferini Art Gallery Pakefield
2016
- Buckingham Gallery Southwold, Artwork on show
- Mustard TV - Artwork shown in documentary 'Bendy Caravans and Everlasting pens ‘A Portrait of Evered Wigg’ throughout the year
- Open Studios – Artist Studio open to public June
- Resident Artist – Ferini Art Gallery Pakefield
2015
- Craft Co, Southwold, Suffolk Two Man Show
2014
- Ferini Art Gallery Pakefield - One-Man Show December
- Suffolk Open Studios June
- Ferini Art Gallery Pakefield – Artist in situ and also showing as part of the SOS East Anglian Art Trail
- The Coconut Loft Cafe and Art Gallery – Lowestoft Suffolk
- Great Yarmouth Library – Two Man Show with Peter Rodulfo
2013
- Assembly House Art Show: Arts Alive Norwich, Norfolk
2012
- West Halls Secret Postcard Auction: Patron, Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cambridge
- Other exhibitors included the Prime Minister David Cameron, Nick Clegg, Twiggy, Maggi Hambling, Bernard Hill, and Tessa Newcomb.
2011
- Assembly House Art Show: Flying Colours Fascinating Forms
- Norwich Castle Museum – Open Art Show
- Norwich Playhouse Two man Show- Peter Rodulfo and Mark Burrell
- Ferini Art Gallery: Summer Show
2010
- Ferini Art Gallery: Christmas Show & Eastern Open Kings Lynn
2008
- Norwich Castle Museum Open Art Show. A Portrait of Big Jon and the Bubblegum God’s
- Christmas Open Studios, Lowestoft, Suffolk
- The Cut Halesworth – Original Drawings and Paintings for the Poem The Iron Bridge, by John Ward.
- Ferini Art Gallery – Three-man show
- The Cut Halesworth – Christmas Art Show, a Prize Winner of ‘The People’s Choice‘
2007
- The Cut Halesworth – ‘Christmas Art Show’ Prize Winner of ’The People’s Choice’
2006
- Exhibited at ‘The House of Commons
- Anglia Television – Part of the series ‘Coastal Inspirations’ Filmed in Lowest Suffolk, Interviewed on Television and Work Exhibited
2005
- Ferini Art Gallery – Original Drawings and Paintings for the Book The Iron Bridge by John Ward
- The Warehouse – Lowestoft, Suffolk – Summer Show
- The Forum, Norwich Norwich Market
- The Open Studios, Lowestoft, Suffolk
- The Eastern Open - Kings Lynn
2004
- Open Studios, Lowestoft, Suffolk
- ‘The Iron Bridge’ Book – ‘Drawings and Paintings’ by Mark Burrell, Written by John Ward
2003
- Interart Gallery New York, America
- Williamsburg Art and Historical Centre, New York, America
- Cork Street Gallery,London
- Galleriart – Kirkcudbright, Scotland
2001
- Galerie de Vis Noorderhaven, Holland
- Gissing Hall, Gissing ‘Portrait Works’
- The Open Studios, Lowestoft, Suffolk
- Blackthorpe Barn, Roughman
- The New Wosley Theatre, Ipswich
- The John Russell Gallery, Ipswich
2000
- The Eastern Open – Kings Lynn
- Open Studios, Lowestoft, Suffolk
- Halesworth Gallery
- Yoxford Gallery, Yoxford
- Electric House Gallery, Ipswich
- Buckingham Galleries, Southwold – Summer & Christmas Show
- The Affordable Art Fair, London
- Galerie de Vis Noorderhaven, Holland
- The Discerning Eye – The Mall Galleries, London
- Geneva Gallery – Lowestoft, Suffolk
1999
- Chappell Gallery, Essex – One Man Exhibition (extended)
- The Eastern Open, Kings Lynn – Painting Highly Commended
- Open Studios, Lowestoft, Suffolk
- British Artists – The Jarvis Centre, New York Art Expo 99, New York City, America
- Work exhibited in Holland
- Lowestoft Town Hall, the Council Chambers, Lowestoft Suffolk
- Suffolk Open Studios, Lowestoft, Suffolk
- The Red Dot Gallery, Ipswich, Suffolk
- Artists Gallery, Electric House, Ipswich
1998
- Chappell Gallery, Essex – One Man Show Art exhibition,
- Lowestoft Library, Lowestoft, Suffolk
- The Yoxford Gallery, Yoxford
- Cottons Yard Gallery, Yoxford
- Halesworth Gallery, Steeple End
- Old Stable Gallery, Diss
- Raphael Gallery Open Studios – Raphael Gallery
1997
- The Minories Art Gallery, Colchester
- The Laing National Arts Competition, Raveningham
- The Eastern Open, Kings Lynn Arts Centre
- St Margaret’s Gallery, Norwich. Works of the Imagination
- Chappell Galleries – Christmas show, Essex
1996
- The Eastern Open, Kings Lynn
- The Arts Centre, Lowestoft – (Various Dimensions)
- The Advice Arcade Gallery, Summer Exhibition, Norwich, Norfolk
- The Gallery, St George’s Street, Norwich
- Art’s Forum, Regent Road Art Gallery, Lowestoft, Suffolk
- Seagull Theatre, Lowestoft – Works with Children on Mural
- Halesworth Gallery
1995
- Le Chat Noir Gallery, Mayfair London
- LOGOS Art Gallery, Bloomsbury, London
- The Mall Galleries (Discerning Eye) London
- Julian Spalding – Art Gallery & Museum Director Glasgow,
- Oriel High School, Gorleston, Norfolk
- Art’s Forum, Regent Road Art Gallery, Lowestoft, Suffolk
- Norwich Castle Museum – Norwich, Norfolk
1994
- The Eastern Open, Kings Lynn – Painting Highly Commended
- Regent Road Arts Centre, Lowestoft, Suffolk – One Man Show
- The Corpusty Gallery, Corpusty, Norfolk Three-Man Show
- The Fruit Market Gallery – 7th National Award, Edinburgh & Sotheby’s, New Bond Street, London- The Spectator
1993
- Contact Gallery, Three-Man Show (The Human Condition)
- Regent Road Art Gallery – Summer Exhibition, Arts Forum
- The Chappell Gallery, Essex, Summer Show
- Gallery 12 B Fredrikstad, Norway – Mixed Exhibition
- The Boundary Gallery, Cransford, Suffolk
- The Gallery, 44 Aldeburgh, One Man show
1992
- The Mall Gallery, London- Wilde Contemporary Art
- The Splinter Gallery, London- Painters today
- The Boundary Gallery Summer Exhibition, Cransford Suffolk
- The Gallery 74, South Audley St, London -Wilde Contemporary Art
- The Cork Brick Gallery Summer Exhibition, Bungay
- The Boundary Gallery Autumn Show, Cransford Suffolk
- The Regent Road Art Gallery – Summer Exhibition, Lowestoft, Suffolk
- The Chappell Gallery, Essex – Two-Man Show
- The Cork Brick Gallery Christmas Exhibition, Bungay
- The Chappell Gallery Christmas Exhibition, Essex
1991
- The Eastern Open, Kings Lynn
- The Boundary Gallery Easter Exhibition, Cransford, Suffolk
- The Picture Place, Lowestoft, Suffolk
- Open Studio’s, Eastern Arts
- The Chappell Gallery, Essex
- Royal Over-Seas League London – A View Of the New Exhibition. Awarded the ‘Lucy Morison Memorial Prize’ for an oil Painting
- Norwich Artists Group, Annual Exhibition
- Kings Lynn Art Centre
- Norfolk and Norwich Festival – Open Studios
- The Boundary Gallery Summer Exhibition & Xmas Show, Cransford Suffolk
- The Splinter Gallery London – First Showing
1990
- The Regent Road Art Gallery, Lowestoft, Suffolk
- The Chappell Gallery, Essex, One Man Show
- Centre D’Art Contemporain, Rouen, France
- The Knapp Gallery, London
- The Halesworth Gallery, Halesworth, Suffolk – Three-Man Show
- The Norwich School of Art, Norwich, Norfolk – Norwich Artists
- The Boundary Galleries Summer Exhibition, Cransford, Suffolk
- The School House gallery, Wighton, Wells-Next-to-Sea, Norfolk
1989
- The Fermoy Gallery, Kings Lynn – Eastern Open and Tour
- The Contact Gallery, Norwich, Norfolk – An Intensity of Vision, Four-Man Show
- The Castle Museum, Norwich, Norfolk – Norwich Artists
- The Chappell Gallery, Essex – Summer Mixed Exhibition
- The Advice Arcade Gallery, Norwich, Norfolk
- Norwich Twenty Group Exhibition, Norwich, Norfolk
- Norwich Union Headquarters, Art Auction Centre – In Aid of Third World
1988
- The Mall Gallery, London. Britain’s Painter’s ’88
- Central Library, Great Yarmouth – Four-Man Show
- Christie’s East Anglia, Cley Mill Appeal
- Assembly Rooms, Norwich, Norfolk
1987
- The Royal Academy, London – Summer Exhibition
Links
'Masks and Layers' a portrait of Mark Burrell by Ferini Films
Mark Burrells 'The Homing-ground' - All aboard the British transcendent locomotion.
Mark Burrell: North Sea Magical Realist artist extraordinaire
Nick Murray Brown Talking about The Iron Bridge and various news reels