Courtney Bae

Courtney Jinsook Bae (b. 1986) is a Korean-American artist, born in Australia and based in London. Bae paints in oil on canvas, depicting raw and expressive portraits, figuration, and landscapes. She is drawn to the relationship between traumas and resilience, exploring identity formation and human purpose. Bae uses her painting as an impetus for cultural movement.
Bae paints with fluid luscious strokes, contrasted against whimsical marksmanship. Her artistic practice is defined by a balance between reality and an internal dialogue which is linked to visceral experiences and emotions.
Bae graduated with a BA in Graphic Design from Southern New Hampshire University in New York in 2015. She gained national recognition in the UK when she was featured as a Semi-finalist on the national television series, Sky Portrait Artist of the Year in 2025. Bae has held solo exhibitions at the Sworders Gallery and the Bermondsey Project Space in London and internationally she has at the Sideshow Gallery, Brooklyn. Her work has featured at the Saatchi Gallery, The Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, and Denise Bibro Fine Art, New York. She is represented by Silson Contemporary and Nelly Duff.

2027

Surrey, The Surrey Art Fair 2027

2026

London, The Other Art Fair 2026

Somerset, Atkinson Gallery - ‘Reveal/Conceal’

SOLO: London, Sworders’ London Gallery - ‘Nourishing: Reflections of Resilience’

Compton, Watts Gallery, ‘Watts Artist Studio Takeover’

London, Well Hung - ‘Well Hung Painting Prize’

Birmingham, Royal Birmingham Society of Artists - ‘RBSA Portrait Prize 2026’

SOLO: Surrey, New Ashgate Gallery - ‘A Project of Becoming’

London, The Gallery at Green & Stone - ‘Works On Paper 2026’

2025

London, Noho Galleries - ‘Marks of Reflection’

London, Barbican Project Space, - ‘Barbican Artworks Open’

Dorchester, Dorset Museum & Art Gallery - ‘The Dorset Open’

UK, Storyvault Films, Sky Arts, ‘Portrait Artist of the Year’, Series 12 Semi-finalist (broadcast)

London, The Gallery at Green & Stone - ‘Summer Show’

Online, Russell-Cotes - ‘Ruth Borchard Self Portrait Art Prize’

Birmingham, Royal Birmingham Society of Artists - ‘Summer Show 2025’

2022

London, Saatchi Gallery - ‘StArt Art Prize 2022’

2021

SOLO: London, Bermondsey Project Space - ‘Forgetting Recollection’

2020

Athens, Greece, Art Number 23 - ‘Athens Open Art’

Hull, East Yorkshire, Ferens Gallery - ‘Open’

2019

London, Candid Arts T...