Zara Matthews

Zara Matthews is a Contemporary British Artist working in painting, printmaking and photography. She was born and brought up in the UK and her studio is currently based in East London.

Her work is influenced by the relationship between painting and photography as well as an emotional response to interior spaces and places that she has visited. Her paintings or drawings often start out as one of a series of mono prints that then develops into a unique work.

She has been shown extensively in the UK at Bonhams, Christies, The Royal Academy Contemporary Print Fair, Harewood House:Leeds, Peterborough Museum, The London Art Fair and at Gainsborough House. She has also shown internationally incliding Dublin, Art Madrid, Kunst Zurich, and Art Miami.

Her work is held in many public and private collections including the Victoria & Albert Museum Prints and Drawing Collection, The British Museum, The Royal College of Art, Harewood House, John Purcell Papers, DLA Art Collection, Electra Partners, Quod: London, Aylesford Newsprint Collection, LHPW Print Collection

She studied at Goldsmiths College, Kingston Polytechnic and The Royal College of Art, graduating in 1999 with a Master is Fine Art Printmaking.

Her tutors have included Adrian Berg, Susan Hiller and Marcus Harvey. She was much influenced by the painter Howard Hodgkin and the many artists she has spent time with including British Surrealist Artist Eileen Agar.

Notable recent group exhibitions include: Future Now Longlisted Artist Aesthetica Art Prize 2021 and 2020, Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize 2019, The ING Discerning Eye 2018; The Threadneedle Prize, London 2013; Wall of Light, Standpoint Gallery, London (2010); East End Academy - The Painting Edition, Whitechapel Gallery, London (2009);

Solo exhibitions include: Chambre, Eagle Gallery EMH Arts, London (2011); State of Play, Galerie Kämpf at Kunst Zurich (2004); Conception/Genome, Eagle Gallery EMH Arts, London : video premiered at The Institute of Child Health supported by The Welcome Trust and Progress Educational Trust (2003)

Recent prizes include: Awarded - The Wapping Project Berlin Residency, Kreuzberg, Berlin (2015); Nomination - The Max Mara Art Prize for Women 6th Edition, Whitechapel Gallery, London (2015); Prizewinner - Drawing for All, Gainsborough’s House, Suffolk (2002).

Zara Matthews studio is based in East London.