Des Kilfeather (b.1949). Irish, Falls Road Father, English Protestant Mother. 

Philosophical Aesthetic Artist.

Born Egypt, childhood split equally between Ireland and England, attending some 8 schools between the ages of 5 and 14. Running away from his last Belfast school to be a junior beatnik sleeping rough on the streets of London and in derelict houses; begging for food on the steps of the London National Art Gallery, Trafalgar Square. Discovering a murdered body in a Regent's Park derelict house, resulting in being abused by the murder squad detectives and acting as an Old Bailey Number 1 Court witness. Joining the Royal Navy as a junior morse code specialist, ship patrolling on the Vietnam coast in unpublished support of the USA War, then training with the Royal Navy at Bletchley Park and the RAF Tangmere Specialist RN Unit in multi-language morse code and cryptography. Royal Navy 1966-74 then moving into an international secure IT systems career including, volunteering as a London Parliament Government specialist assisting a wonderful ethical MP in creating a national IT security working committee. Aged 55 being retired for ill health, leading to finally following his "vocation" of philosophical aesthetic art through 3 University programmes.

History, Today and The Future:

With works in collections world-wide, including for example, the London National Portrait Gallery, the Writers Museum-James Joyce Museum Dublin, University at Buffalo New York Poetry Collection, Buckingham Palace Royal Collection, Embassy of Ireland London and other galleries and museums: a recurrent theme in Des Kilfeather's art is the philosophical exploration of ethics, greed, power, ambition, jealousy, apathy, physics and time; through the digital evolution of physical artworks. Counterbalanced with poetic narratives of love, optimism and humour Des seeks to comment on that elusive human trait which overules ethical conscience.

Along with research, starkly and dramatically contrasting personal life experiences, from birth until today, inform Des's art. These are the main source of inspiration for the expressions of doubt with optimism in his aesthetic thinking.

Working with oil, ink, watercolour, etched copper plate, camera, digital manipulation, metaphor at multiple levels and the Internet, Des believes that the medium is superseded by concept. For Des the Internet represents the most exciting opportunity for everyone in the world to access art, regardless of economic status, health or cultural background. However the Internet is, perhaps, unlikely to ever replace face to face, close up engagement with the physical object of art itself. Of course evolving virtual reality might just change that, sooner rather than later?

Des, a UK National Open Art Exhibition prize winner and invited lifetime Florence Biennale Artist lives in Arundel, England, studied dark room photography at the University of Brighton, aesthetics, (the philosophy of art), painting and drawing at the University of Sussex Edward James Trust's West Dean College and for his Masters Degree in Fine Art at the University of Portsmouth. He is a voluteer community programme supporter, ambassador, art collection researcher and educator at the Pallant House Gallery. Including the privilege of being part of the team developing and facilitating Art Views; dementia friendly collection engagement sessions for the public. Art Views is an initiative from the Alzheimers support team at the Museum of Modern Art - MOMA, New York.

News: Des Kilfeather selected to be part of Art Expo New York, April 4-7 2024, hosted digitally in the ArtTour International Booth 427 with 5 oil paintings. 

News: March 2022/Today 2024. The Dubai, world-wide artists, Biennale 2022, selects Des Kilfeather to exhibit NFTs in their Frida Gallery Hall. https://www.spatial.io/s/Frida-621769b9cfe63f000127bc81?share=8230220889986777341

News: December/Feb 2021/2022. Des Kilfeather, selected to participate in the New York ExpoMetro exhibit as one of the world wide NFT artists.

News: March/April 2021. Des Kilfeather's POP! programme evolves to include NFT, with collaborations with Mintable.app and OpenSea.io. With test auctions and a Gallery on OpenSea. https://opensea.io/assets/des-kilfeather-philosphical-aesthetic-art 

News: November 2020: Des Kilfeather's, Social Media, Equality, World-wide Exhibiting agenda continues with his FB https://www.facebook.com/kilfeathercollectiveunconscious exhibit image achieving 42,000 Viewings and 11,500 Likes, over a week. With several comments and shares. Des aims to introduce art philosophical aesthetic thinking to people with total equality: children sleeping under bridges through to Royalty. 

News: November 2020: Des Kilfeather's, pioneering unique, POP! Provenanced-Online-Print, initiative moves forward to include Limited Editions. Several of his Fine Art America images have been updated as Limited Editions of 10 wall prints. With Letters of Accreditation, signed personally, being sent by post when the buyer provides details to Des. A revolutionary evolution of the art-world, particularly during this destructive Covid-19 lockdown.

News:  April 2020. Des Kilfeather joins the British Soceity of Aesthetics, which is managed by Oxford University Press.

News:  5 November 2019. Des Kilfeather, today, received news that his, Trafalgar 200 Through the Lens, book of 400 photographs, with multiple, subliminal narratives, is being recorded and placed into the national collection of the National Portrait Gallery, London. This book, with its many, editorial, often controversial, images, was a result of Des being accredited by the Royal Navy to work alongside them, producing an independent picture record of the Trafalgar 200, 'celebration' event. Buckingham Palace has described the pictures as 'fantastic' and has the book in its collection.

News:  November 2020, POP! Provenanced-On-line- Prints. Artist Des Kilfeather pioneers his dramatic change to the Art-World’s Limited Edition and Open Edition, on demand, Print Market. In collaboration with Des’s, Fine Art America’s, artist gallery.

News:  January 2019, France's Circle Arts Foundation has awarded Des an International Excellence Award, for his "very unique painting" series, the Universal Unconscious.

News:  October 2018, the Curator of the University at Buffalo, New York, Poetry Collection has placed Des Kilfeather's new artists book, Des Kilfeather A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, into the University's Poetry Collection.

News:  September 2018, Des Kilfeather's new artists book, Des Kilfeather A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, has been accepted into the National Collection by Ireland's Director and Curator of The James Joyce Museum and Writers Museum Dublin. It has also been included into the London Buckingham Palace collection.

News: 18 August 2018, Des Kilfeather launches and exhibits for the first time his latest Relational Aesthetic project; collaborating with audience members to inspire them to create unique interpretations of his Universal Unconscious series of oil paintings.

News: June 2018, Des Kilfeather invited to be a SciArt Cambridge Group community member. SciArt comprises scientists and artists who collaborate to make both art and science more accessible to our wider society.

News: December 2015. Espacio Gallery, London, select Des Kilfeather as a Studio 2016 artist.

News:  November 2015. Des Kilfeather invited to establish an 'Invitation Only Portfolio Account' with LensCulture Inc. https://www.lensculture.com/des-kilfeather

News:  October 2015. Des Kilfeather selected to participate in the Stride Open Art Exhibition 2015 at the Oxmarket Gallery, Chichester.

News:  June 2015. Des Kilfeather elected as a volunteer Trustee & Director of Portsmouth City Art Space with a particular brief on the education and artist practice mentoring team. Art Space, one the South's most signficant artistic institutions has 45 professional artist members, 30 of whom occupy Art Space studios.

News:  January 2015. Des Kilfeather invited by the Chichester Oxmarket Gallery to exhibit as part of its Summer Exhibition. This annual exhibition of invited artist work is planned for 8 - 21 June 2015.

News:  8 March 2015. Des Kilfeather C-type print, Synchronicity 1/5, achieved 58 bids during an auction for the Chestnut Tree House Children's Hospice at an exhibition in the Brighton DOME.

News:  Des Kilfeather and the University of Chichester collaborate on editioning intaglio prints for Des' exhibit at the Florence Bienale 2014, Italy.

News:  October 2013. Des Kilfeather received an unsolicited invite to be one of 8 UK artist representatives by the International Selection Committee of the Florence Biennale 2013. Anish Kapoor another of the UK artists received his lifetime achievement award at this event. Kilfeather's selection included exhibting at the IX Biennale, Ethics: DNA of Art and a lifetime invitation to exhibit in future Biennale events.

News:  October 2013. Des Kilfeather selected for UK National Open Art Exhibitons at the Royal College of Art London and the Chichester Theatre.

News:  June 2013 - December 2013. Des Kilfeather, in collaboration with the UK South's foremost public gallery The Pallant House is undertaking research into "artist's intention and the unconscious self". This volunteering research is being conducted in support of the gallery's Outside In and StepUp programme.

News:  February 2012. The Saatchi Online website homepage features Des Kilfeather's work as part of New This Week.

News: Dublin City, (UNESCO City of Literature), Dublin Library Service, Failte Ireland, Tourism Dublin and the Dublin Writers Museum have invited Des Kilfeather to show his James Joyce's Dubliners body of work at the Dublin Writers Museum Gallery 19 March - 19 May 2012.

News: Writers Museum Gallelry exhibition extended until the end of June 2012.

News:  Des Kilfeather's painting "The Jolly Sailor; obsolesence of the officer class", shortlisted for the National Open Art Competition 2012 and is included in the NOAC website.

News:  The University at Buffalo, New York, has acquired copy number 1. of Kilfeather's artist's book; James Joyce's Dubliners, a Visual Response.

News:  Des Kilfeather's oil painting "Click" seriously vandalised through stabbing. Damage converted to positive philosophy through gold leaf interventions and evolving the painting into a triptych presentation.

News:  17th March 2011, Des Kilfeather refuses to allow his painting "Click" to be included in the BBC list of paintings for the Show me the Monet series introduction and credits.

News:  Kilfeather's painting, Click, oil on canvas, 5' x 4', receives the Picture Framer's Endowment Award in the UK National Open Art Competition. Click is one of 118 works selected for this prestigious exhibition, from an entry of over 1,700 artists, shortlisted to 400. The panel of judges was chaired by Gavin Turk.

News:  Kilfeather launches the first Cyber Relational Art project on flickr. This exploratory project by Kilfeather is intended to engage with an audience with widely varying opinions and backgrounds, from professional artists to those who may have had no previous experience of fine art or no opportunity to express themselves through the medium. http://www.flickr.com/photos/28880384@N06/5105591932/

Exhibitions:

2017 - today:

Des's ongoing Social Media exhibition agenda; images exhibited with total 'equality'.

Facebook: Image: Carl Jung's Collective Unconscious with James Joyce's Ulysses, final paragraph 'Yes'. 11,600 Likes.

Facebook: The Collective Unonscious. March 2020. 16,000 Likes from around the world.

Facebook: The Collective Unconscious. February 2020. 7,300 Likes from around the world.

Facebook: The Collective Unconscious. August 2019. 5,400 Likes from around the world.

Facebook: James Joyce Aesthetic. June 2019. 2,900 Likes from around the world.

Facebook: The Collective Unconsious. April 2019. 10,000 Likes from around the world.

Facebook: The Ethic Aesthetic. 3 December 2018. 12,000 Likes from around the world.

Facebook: The Collective Unonscious. 26 September 2018. 9,300 Likes from around the world.

Facebook: The Ethic Aesthetic, May 2018. 7,200 Likes from around the world.

Facebook: The Collective Unconscous, April 2018. 4,900 Likes from around the world.

Facebook: The Collective Unconscious, February 2018. 3,900 Likes from around the world.

Facebook: The Ethic Aesthetic, April 2017. 14,000 Likes from around the world.

Facebook: James Joyce Aesthetic, June 2017. 7,700 Likes from around the world.

Physical exhibiting:

Los Angeles, LACDA, exhibiting image from Des Kilfeather book and ebook A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Oct-Nov 2018.

Florence Biennale XI, eARTh, Florence, Italy. 6 - 15 October 2017.

The Victoria Institute, Arundel. —Introibo ad altare Dei: Dublin Easter Rising 2016 Phase I. Solo exhibition 26 March - 29 April 2016.

Arundel Museum, Arundel. —Introibo ad altare Dei; Dublin Easter Rising 2016, Phase II, parallel venue. Solo exhibition 26 - 29 April 2016.

Candida Stevens Gallery, Chichester. 15-17 February 2016. Chestnut Tree House, Big Heart Auction Preview.

Espacio Gallery, London. A Place in Between. Group Exhibition. 23 - 38 February 2016.

Brighton Dome, Brighton. 1-4 July 2016. Chestnut Tree House, Big Heart Auction Viewing.

The Stride Open Art Competition exhibition 2015, Oxmarket Gallery, Chichester. 20 October - 1 November 2015.

Oxmarket Gallery. Pallant House Gallery and Oxmarket collaboration at Oxmarket. Stepping In group exhibition 6 - 18 October 2015.

Pallant House Gallery, Step Up Showcase in the Studio. -Introibo ad altare Dei; audio and video sequences. 29 September - 22 November 2015.

The Victoria Institute, Arundel Gallery Art Trail. Supporting the LOCA Virgin Art Gallery. 22 - 31 August 2015.

Arun District Council Offices, Littlehampton. Solo exhibition as part of Littlehampton Arts Festival. 20 - 25 July 2015.

Old Portsmouth Cathedral. Omega Printmakers Annual Exhibition. 4 - 19 July 2015.

DMH Stallard Gallery, Crawley. July 2015. Curated by Jean Frickleton.

The OXMARKET Gallery, Chichester, Summer Exhibition, invited artist annual group exhibition, 8 - 21 June 2015.

The DOME, Brighton, Curated group exhibition by June Frickleton, Chestnut Tree House Children's Hospice Big Heart Auction 26 February - 8 March 2015.

CIC ART 2014 Haywards Heath art trail; guest artist at Paul Badham Gallery, Broadbridges Menswear and Big Life Organics, curated by June Frickleton. 5 - 20 April 2014.

KUNST WEISSENSEE 2014, Curated by Javier Ramirez. Galerie MARZIA FROZEN, Berlin. 8th March to 2nd April 2014.

Forence Biennale, Florence Italy. IX Florence Biennale, Ethics: DNA of ART. 30 November 2013 - 8 December 2013.

Royal College of Art, London. NOAC13. 25 October 2013 - 7 November 2013.

Minverva Theatre, Chichester. NOAC13. 13 November 2013 - 30 November 2013.

DMH Stallard, Gallery Space, Crawley. April 2013 - July 2013. Curated by June Frickleton.

Kings Hill, Curator Group Exhibition, Kent. 1 July 2013 - 1 October 2013. Curated by June Frickleton.

The Dublin Writers Museum, Dublin, Ireland. 19 March - 19 May 2012. James Joyce's Dubliners, a Visual Response & Contemporary Contextualisation. 

Portsmouth Central Library, Guildhall Square, Portsmouth. James Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, a Visual Response. October 2012.

The Philanthropic Atheist, a body of work comprising 5 screen prints and 5 paintings. At Panoptic group exhibition, sponsored by Portsmouth City Council, The University of Portsmouth and Aspex Gallery. Round Tower, Old Portsmouth. 9th September - 24th September 2011.

James Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, a Visual Response. Solo Exhibition. Wordsouth Literary Centre and Fine Art Gallery, Havant UK. 19th September - 2nd October 2011. 

Masters Fine Art 2011, group exhibition. GASP Gallery at Artspace Portsmouth. July 2011.

National Open Art Competition exhibition, 30th October - 13th November 2010. Minerva Theatre Chichester.

UK National MA & Post Graduate Contemporary Art Exhibition 2011. 21st Feb - 2nd Apr, 2011. Atkinson Gallery, Street. This is Kilfeather's second invitation to Atkinson Gallery where paintings from his Dubliners body of work have been selected.

Wordsouth Gallery, Havant, Hampshire, solo exhibition: James Joyce Dubliners, a Visual Response and Contemporary Contextualisation. 10th September - 10th October 2010.

Esemplastic: Upper House Itchenor, St Wilfrids Hospice & Cancer Research Charity Event Group Exhibition 24 - 26 September 2010. Curator Karen Gardner. http://upperhouseart.com

GASP, Artspace Portsmouth, July 2010. Group exhibition.

Oxmarket Gallery Chichester: Printmakers Cut4 Group Exhibition 7 - 19 June 2010

Oxmarket Gallery Chichester: Unity Studio event Group Exhibition 26 - 31 July 2010

 http://www.a-n.co.uk/interface/whatson/single/591315/1

Police & Thieves 2010. Group show at the Old Police Station, South London.

 

http://re-title.typepad.com/opportunities/2009/09/police-and-theives-2010-occupy-my-time-at-the-old-police-station-south-london.html

 

MA & Other Postgraduate Contemporary Art Show 2010. Group show at the Atkinson Gallery Street Somerset.

 

https://www.millfieldschool.com/assets/Art_Exhibitions/MA_Show_Press_Release.pdf

 

Donnie 2010. Group show at the Brooklyn Gallery, New York, of the Museum of Computer Art.

 

http://www.moca.virtual.museum/mary/archive/marypage46.htm

 

Publications:

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=dp+kilfeather

 

See Kilfeather at Flickr.