Wilfrid Wood

Wilfrid Wood (born 1968) is an English artist working in various mediums and specialising in portraiture. He trained in graphics at Central St Martins before building latex heads for satirical TV programme, Spitting Image.

Early life and education Wood was born in London, the son of illustrator John Norris Wood. He was raised in rural Sussex surrounded by a family of artists. He graduated from Central St Martins with a degree in graphic design.

Career Wood began his career in publishing, designing layouts for encyclopaedias. Bored by the work, he applied for a job as a “head builder” on the satirical TV programme Spitting Image, making eyeball mechanisms for the puppets of public figures.

Using many mediums including polymer clay and plasticine, Wood’s candid portraits depict everyday themes from politicians to sportsmen, from musicians to celebrities with the occasional dog walker for good measure. His work has been featured in different magazines, shows and exhibitions. In 2021, he designed BEEF! is a simple card game for two or more players published by Rough Trade Books.

Wood works out of his studio in Hackney Wick and holds various sculpting workshops.

Exhibitions

Country Life, solo exhibition at Frmd, London, 2023 Group exhibition at the Royal Watercolour Society, 2023 Hampstead Art Society, group show, London, 2023 Green & Stone, group show, London, 2023 Diving Deep, group exhibition at the University of Kent, 2023 Funny Ha Ha! Group exhibition at Maddox Gallery, London, 2022 These Cartoons are a Work Event, group show Cartoon Museum, London, 2022 Virile, group show, House of St Barnabas, London 2022 People, solo exhibition, Copeland Gallery, London, 2021 Royal Academy Summer show, London, 2021 Rude Assembly, group show, Australia, 2021 Drawings of my BF, solo show, Studio 59, London, 2019 Group Show, Alan Kluckow Fine Art, Ascot, 2018 Drawing People, solo exhibition at Space Gallery, Hackney, 2018 Pink, group show, Colette, Paris, 2018 Royal Academy Summer show, London, 2018 Solo show, Volume Gallery, Berlin, 2016 Olympic Portraits, solo exhibition, 2016 Pop Living, group show, Schwartz Gallery, 2015 Futagotamagawa biennale, Japan, 2015 Dog Show, solo show, Beach Gallery, London, 2014 KK Outlet, solo show, London, 2013 Chisenhale Gallery, group show, London, 2012 Object Abuse, group show, KK Outlet, London 2011 Somerset House, group show, London, 2011 La Scatola, group show, London, 2011 Solo Show, Sang Sang Madang, South Korea, 2010 Lulubell Toy Bodega, group show, Tucson, Arizona, 2008 SEA 2 The Wig Has Gone Out, group show, London, 2006 Being Hunted, group show, Berlin, 2006 SEA 1, Normal, group show, London, 2004