Alison Watt Alison Watt, born 1965. Artist 1986 - 1987 © Alison Watt. All rights reserved. DACS, London 2023

Biography

Born 1965
Nationality Scottish
Birth place Greenock

Born in Greenock, Watt studied at Glasgow School of Art. In 1987, while still a student, she won the National Portrait Gallery's prestigious annual award.  She subsequently became well known for her paintings of figures, often female nudes. In the late 90s she began to focus on the fabric which had previously acted as a prop or backdrop for her figures. Although the human figure is no longer explicit in Watt’s work, it is often implied. More recently, her painting has focused upon the relationship between the genres of portraiture and still life, exploring the possible narratives around everyday objects. Across the last two decades, Watt has been exhibited nationally and internationally. She has had major solo exhibitions at The National Gallery, London (where she was appointed Associate Artist), The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Abbot Hall Art Gallery and Museum and The Fruitmarket Gallery. Her work is held in many important public collections. She was awarded an OBE in 2008 and became a Fellow of The Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2017.

Exhibitions

Ended
Facing the World | Self-Portraits Rembrandt to Ai Weiwei
  • Ended Sun 16 Oct 2016
Portrait
Ended
GENERATION: 25 Years of Contemporary Art in Scotland | Modern
  • Ended Sun 25 Jan 2015
Modern
Ended
Alison Watt | A Portrait Without Likeness
  • Ended Sun 9 Jan 2022
Portrait