Joe Warrior Walker

The term Chalkland is used to describe the characteristic landscape in southern England where chalk is exposed at the surface. Inspired in part by references within the work to these rural environments, as well as the chalk and raw pigments used to create the paintings, the work describes a journey through the interwoven landscapes of Warrior-Walker’s dual heritage. Childhood memories of his mother’s native India are entwined with those of his native Cornwall, bringing to the surface an interspace where dualities merge and multiple landscapes become one.

Warrior-Walker’s paintings suggest the memory of a half-forgotten place or experience, a moment in time. The canvases are intuitively layered with chalk and raw Indian pigment, creating a dense surface with thick textures and thin washes that allude to an internal space and perspective. The pictures thus retain traces of something tangible, while being reduced to a level that oscillates between abstraction and figuration.

Joe Warrior Walker was born 1989 and grew up in the seaside town of St Ives Cornwall. He spent much of his childhood travelling across Asia with his parents. His Mother of Indian heritage and British father are both working artists who would split their time between England and India. In 2011 he relocated to London to study a degree at The Chelsea School of Art. The same year he was also awarded winner of The Brenda Landon Portrait Prize. After graduating with first class honours he was awarded a scholarship to complete a Masters degree at UEA London. After leaving Art School Warrior-Walker began to exhibit in various London galleries such as Lacey Contemporary and The Strand Gallery. In 2016 he moved to Bristol where he currently works from BV Studios. Joe Warrior-Walker has exhibited extensively in group shows and has had several solo exhibitions. His work has been exhibited across the UK and internationally.