Art is not a static discipline. Like the societies it reflects, Art has the ability to diversify, change and reform itself through a plethora of approaches. However, as an artist, I am ultimately a product of my time, and therefore, I enjoy the fact that I can dictate, albeit to a degree, the direction that the discipline can take. I have found myself reacting to my environment and to the changing nature of Art when creating my work. It is this dialogue- between Art and society- that I am keen to explore further.

 

Michael Cooper is a British born Brighton based artist.  Having trained in Ceramic and Glass at the Creative University for the Arts in Surrey, Cooper completed a post graduate in Art Education at Brighton University.  Currently he is Director of Art at the award winning Brighton College.

 

As a talented ceramicist, printer and painter Cooper has exhibited widely in the United Kingdom and the Middle East.  He contributes to art journals and was selected as ‘Best Graduate 2001’ in Ceramic Review.  His work at the Brighton Art Festival has also been well received. While living in the Middle East for 5 years he had three solo shows: ‘Go To The Corner’, (The Jam Jar gallery Al Quoz ) featured in Harpers Bazaar Arabia; ‘Comfort Zone’ (painting and screen printing, Arch Gallery, Dubai) and Exhibition 101 (ceramics and photography, Abu Dhabi Cultural Authority).  During his time in the UAE, Cooper has enjoyed devising and facilitating workshops for arts festivals in Dubai, Jordan and Palestine and has worked closely with the charity START, an affiliation of Art Dubai.