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Biography

 

Marguerite Horner graduated with an MA in Fine Art from City&Guilds of London Art School in 2004 and was presented by Sir Peter Blake with the Kidd Rapinet Prize for outstanding MA degree work.  She has since been exhibiting widely in Art Fairs and Group Shows in England, Europe and China.

In 2011 Marguerite exhibited at the 54th Venice Biennale. and in 2019 the 58th Venice BiennaleIn 2012 Marguerite had her first London Solo Exhibition 'The Seen and Unseen' at The Pitzhanger Manor&Gallery with the catalogue essay written by Lady Marina Vaizey CBE.  

In 2017 Horner won the NOA17 MS Amlin Prize. In 2018 Horner won the British Women Artist Award and examples of her work were acquired by the Yale Centre for British Art in New Haven Connecticut, USA.

In 2019 Marguerite was invited to take part in a 2 week artist residency in Nanxi Academy, Yongjia, China, and to be part of the exhibition 'When London meets Wenzhou'.

Also in 2019: Marguerite exhibited in ‘MADE IN BRITAIN’:  Muzeum Narodowe  Gdansk (National Gallery in Poland in Gdansk) and in 2020: 'Beyond Other Horizons'  at the Iasi Palace of Culture, Romania, with a British Council Symposium.

 

In 2024 a book on Marguerites paintings called 'Numinous' was published by Hurtwood Press :

Her work has been acquired by several Art museums in England and also internationally in museums in the USA and China.

 

"Marguerites paintings ' lift the ordinary into the extraordinary, and the specific into the universal...they are about the seen and the unseen, the life behind the eye as well as the world in front of it"

                                                                                                               Lady Marina Vaizey CBE.

 

 

Lady Marina Vaizey CBE is the former FT and Sunday Times Art Critic and Turner Prize Judge.

 

 

 

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FULL  BIOGRAPHY

Marguerite Horner's paintings :

 

'Lift the ordinary into the extraordinary and the specific into the Universal'...they are about...'The life behind the eye as well as the life in front of it'...

 

wrote Lady Marina Vaizey CBE ( former FT and Sunday Times art critic and Turner prize Judge)

 

After Marguerite Horner completed her B.A. degree in Fine Art in her twenties, she was offered two museum solo exhibitions, at The Mappin Art Gallery Sheffield and Usher Art Gallery Lincoln. Art historian and critic Professor Frances Spalding CBE reviewed these exhibitions in 'Arts Review' writing :

 

...'the intrigue of her work depends partly on the knife-edge balance maintained between painterliness and hard-edge photo-realism by varying the sharpness of focus'....'her natural talent combined with an intensity of looking lead her to begin as a landscape painter of more than average ability, using recognisable styles'.

 

To support her practice Marguerite was employed as a scenic artist at the BBC where she trained and worked for 3 years, leaving to work as a freelance artist. All of her work during this time was commissioned and she painted in collaboration with photographers such as Adrian Flowers and David Bailey, painting backgrounds for publications such as 'The World of Interiors' and 'The Sunday Times'. as well as many award winning advertising campaigns throughout the 80's and 90's.

Together with her technical understanding, which Marguerite cultivated over the years, she also developed contextual understanding through studying for her M.A. in Fine Art in 2004. Her final works were awarded with the 'Kidd Rapinet prize' for outstanding work, this was presented by Sir Peter Blake.

 

Marguerite has since been exhibiting widely in Art Fairs and Group Shows, including the

Royal Academy Summer Exhibition (2005-2008-2010-2011-2012-2013-2016-2019) The Royal Society of Marine Artists (2005) Art in Action (2009) The Threadneedle Prize (2010- 2013-2018) The Lynn Painters Stainer Exhibition (2010-2012-2018) Artsway Open (2010) The National Open Art Competition (2011-2012-2014-2015-2016-2017) and The London Group Open Exhibition (2013) The ING Discerning Eye (2005-2010-2011-2012-2013-2014-2015 -2016-2018-2020-2021- 2024). The Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours Annual Exhibition (2014-2023-2024) The Open West (2014) The Sunday Times Watercolour Exhibition (2014) and The Griffin Gallery Open (2015) The Derwent Art Prize (2016) The RWS Contemporay watercolour competition exhibition (2019).The Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize (2019) The Draw Art Fair, Saatchi Gallery (2019) The Ruskin Prize (2019).

In 2006 Tim Marlow (Art critic and then director of White Cube Gallery) selected Marguerite to feature among 30 emerging artists to take part in a Guardian/Saatchi competition. In the same year Marguerite had a solo show at the Star Gallery in Lewes, East Sussex, for which Art historian Julian Bell wrote in the introduction:

 

' The markings Horner makes serve not so much to represent views of the world around us, as to activate what lies behind them a quality not to be named, only touched on.'

 

Also in 2006 Marguerites work was short-listed for the first Celeste Painting Prize, and was writer/curator Jane Neal's 'Critics Choice' for Saatchi Online, commenting:

 

'Mysterious and understated, they draw in the viewer to a world which Horner has succeeded in making convincingly real and uncomfortably uncanny.'

 

Among the Project Spaces and Galleries that Marguerite has exhibited with are the Mappin Art Gallery, Sheffield; The Usher Art Gallery, Lincoln; Beverley Knowles Fine Art; Moncrieff-Bray; C4RD; WW Gallery, ROOM; High House Gallery ( England) ; SAATCHI GALLERY, Peppercanister Gallery, (Dublin);  Lion&Lamb Gallery Hoxton London; Blackhorse Lane Project Space London; ART BERMONDSEY PROJECT SPACE, London and Core@ Nolais Gallery, London; Collyer Bristow gallery London; LadyBeck Project Space Leeds; Arthouse1, Bermondsey London; Stephen Lawrence Gallery,London; Oxford University Pitts Rivers Museum; Vane gallery. Newcastle;  Swansea Gallery; Rugby Museum; Huddersfield Art gallery; Swindon Art Gallery; The Star Gallery, Lewis: Pallant House Gallery, Chichester; Quay Art Gallery, Isle of Wight; East Gallery, Norwich; Maidstone Museum and Art Gallery; The National Gallery of Poland in Gdansk; The Nanxi Academy, Wenhzou, China and the Iasi Museum of Culture, Romania.

 

In 2011 Marguerite exhibited at the 54th Venice Biennale in 'Afternoon Tea' with WW Gallery. Also in 2011 Marguerite's joint exhibition 'The MacGuffin: Wendy Elia & Marguerite Horner' was selected by Paul Carey-Kent (former Art World Magazine editor) for his TOP TEN shows for July in the Saatchi Online magazine. The catalogue essay for 'The MacGuffin' was by Lady Mary-Rose Beaumont.

 

In 2012 Marguerite had her first London Solo museum Exhibition 'The Seen and Unseen' at The PM Gallery, London W10. The catalogue essay was written by Lady Marina Vaizey C.B.E. (former FT and Sunday Times Art critic and Turner Prize Judge).

 

In 2013 Marguerite has two solo exhibitions: 'Being from the Inside' High House Gallery, Clanfield, Oxen and 'Through each Today' The CRYPT, St Marylebone Parish Church, London NW1, this is part of a two year programme on  'Contemporary British Paintings' curated by Robert Priseman and Simon Carter.  

 

Marguerites work was also included in the 'Marmite Prize' 2013 catalogue.

 

In 2014 her work was selected for the 'Open West' and a group show of 9 painters called 'In the City' at the Lion&Lamb gallery in Hoxton, as well as group shows at Huddersfield Art Gallery; Ipswich Art school Gallery and Madison Museum of Fine Art U.S.A. Marguerite has also been awarded an artist Residency at Cill Rialaig Arts Centre, Co.Kerry Ireland.

 

In 2015 Marguerite's work was selected for group shows 'Present Tense' at SWINDON MUSEUM & ART Gallery; another at RUGBY MUSEUM; and for the  'Contemporary British Watercolours' exhibition at MAIDSTONE MUSEUM & ART Gallery, plus  3 works were included in 'THE LONDON PAINTING SURVEY' at Blackhorse lane Studios Project Space, curated by Matthew Krishanu and David Sullivan.

 

For Lent 2015 Marguerite also contributed  paintings 'Crown of Thorns' and 'The Crucifixion' to 'The Stations of the Cross' exhibitions at both St Marylebone Parish church and Brentwood Cathedral, the latter was acquired by The Komechak Art Gallery of The Benidictine University, Chicago, U.S.A.  

 

Other Museums in the U.S.A, acquiring Marguerites work are The Schneider Museum of Art, Southern Oregon; The University of Arizona Museum of Art, and the painting 'Exit' is now part of the Madison Museum of Fine Art, Georgia collection and the painting 'Glimpse' has been acquired by The Yale Centre for British Art in Connecticut. USA.

 

In October 2015 Marguerite was invited to exhibit a solo show at the newly opened 'ART BERMONDSEY PROJECT SPACE in London called 'Marguerite Horner: Cars and Streets'. The catalogue essay

'Bringing the Sublime into the Mundane' was written by Anna McNay.

 

In 2016 Marguerite exhibited in a group show called 'Edgelands' at The Crypt St Marylebone Church, London, the catalogue essay was written by Andrew Lambirth ( former art writer for The Spectator) . Marguerite also exhibited in 'BORDERS' at the Core @ Nolias Gallery, London SE1 and two paintings were selected for The RA Summer show.  Marguerite was also selected for the Derwent Art Prize exhibition and Shortlisted for the Bridgeman Studio Awards 2016, and took part in the 'Contemporary British Painters Summer Exhibition' at The Quay Art Gallery on the Isle of Wight, and the National Open Arts Competition, and was invited by artist Dan Coombs to exhibit work for the ING Discerning Eye 2016, for which he was a Judge.

 

In 2017 Marguerite's work was shown in 4 museums in China, and was in 'Test Card P', both part of the Contemporary British painters group. Marguerite won the MS Amlim prize in the National Open art competition with her painting 'Church', and had a solo exhibition called 'Keep me Safe' inspired by a humanitarian visit to the original Calais Jungle Refugee camp.

 

In 2018 Marguerite's painting 'Primark Coat' was selected for the Threadneedle prize competition and her paintings 'Hiding' and 'Shed Life' were part of the  'In the Future' exhibition at Collyer Bristow Gallery, London. Her painting 'Sewing Silver Prayers' was shortlisted for the Lynn Painter Stainer Prize. Marguerite also took part in the group shows 'Getting Away' at ARTHOUSE 1 which toured to Quay gallery IOW and the 'In The City' at East Gallery Norwich University which toured to University of Greenwich Stephen Lawrence Gallery. Marguerite co-curated and exhibited  an exhibition called 'The Inner and the Outer' at Bermondset Project Space and had work selected for the Trinity Buoy Drawing Prize exhibition.

 

In 2018 Marguerite was the winner of The British Women's Artist of the year Award.

 

 2019 was a busy year for Marguerite, she exhibited at the 58th Venice Biennale at part of 'Alive in the Universe' project curated by Caroline Wiseman and David Baldry.

 

She also exhibited in 'Made in Britain' at the National Museum, Gdansk, Poland,

 

Her work was included in 'LANDE the Calais "Jungle" and Beyond' at Oxford University's Pitt Rivers Museum, curated by Professor Dan Hicks; Sarah Mallet and Dr Rachael Kiddey.

 

Also in 2019 Marguerites work was exhibited in  'Christine...A tribute to Christine Keeler' curated by Fionn Wilson which toured  Vane Gallery in Newcastle-upon Tyne: Elysium Art Gallery, Swansea and Arthouse1, London.

 

Her work was selected for the RWS Contemporary Watercolour Competition: Bankside Gallery London.

 

As part of the CBP group Marguerite showed work at The Hostry, Norwich Cathedral.

 

In her role as curator Marguerite organised a group show called 'Disposition'.

and at the same time had a solo exhibition called 'Time Keeps Slipping' at the Bermondsey Project Space, London.

 

Marguerite exhibited work at the SAATCHI Gallery as part of the DRAW ART FAIR with the Trinity Buoy Wharf Stand.

 

Marguerite was also shortlisted for the Ruskin Art Prize.

 

Marguerite was invited to take part in a 2 week artist residency in Wenzhou, China and also exhibited at the Nanxi Academy of Art, Yongjia, China.

 

In 2020 Marguerite exhibited in a group show called 'Beyond Other Horizons' at the Iasi Palace of Culture in Romania.

 

She had a solo show called 'Transcends all Understanding' at Bermondsey Project Space.

 

She was also  invited to take part in the exhibition called 'John Lennon is not dead' curated by Harry Pie.

 

Marguerite had 3 paintings selected for the ING Discerning Eye 2020 and 4 were selected in 2021 . Marguerite was also  invited to be part of an online exhibition by the Worshipful Company of Painter Stainers in 2020 and again in 2021.

In 2021 Marguerite had 4 paintings selected for the ING Discerning Eye and was also invited to show in the Worshipful Company of Painter Stainers 'Masterpiece 100' online exhibition. 

 

In 2022 Marguerite was invited to take part in the 'Shades of Green' exhibition curated by Sandra Higgins at the Royal United Hospital, Bath.

Marguerite was also included in the 'Paradoxes' exhibition ay Quay Arts Isle of Wight, alongside other members of the 'Contemporary Painters group, as well as 

'Paint Edgy' Contemporary British Painters  & Guests Exhibition at The Ropeway Gallery, Barton on Humber

'Vitalistic Fantasies 2022' Contemporary British Painters Exhibition at Elysium Gallery, Swansea, South Wales.

'A sense of Place' at Bermondsey Project space curated by Philippa Beale.

Marguerite was also selected to exhibit a solo show 'Back to Verve' of her work at the Chelsea Arts Club, London.

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 In 2023 Marguerites 3 paintings about Christine Keeler were selected for the 'Scandal '63 Revisited' exhibition curated by Fionn Wilson, at Leicester Gallery. This was selected by the Guardian art critic Jonathan Jones as his exhibition of the week, in which he mentions Caroline Coon, Marguerite Horner and Stella Vine.

Marguerites work 'The refuge of the roads' was selected for the 'Royal Institute of painters in Watercolour' exhibition at the Mall Galleries.

She was also exhibited in 'Paradise Found ' at Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Honiton curated by Sandra Higgins and

'The Viewing Room' Exhibition at Hansard Studios, London, also curated by Sandra Higgins

Marguerite was also invited to exhibit in 'Cross Roads' at the Holt Gallery in Holt and

as the guest artist in 'Rogue Women2 'in Manchester M11 1PU. and to take part in 'Carnival' in The Safehouse gallery London  SE15 3SN curated by Celia Martin.

Marguerite also took part in 'X' The Contemporary British painters exhibition in Newcastle.

In October Marguerite had a solo exhibition 'Numinous' at 'The Crypt', St Marylebone Church, London NW1 5LT. She was part of Sandra Higgins curated group shows 'The Viewing Room' and 'Elemental' both at Lansdown Stores, Bath. 

In 2024 Marguerite took part in the 'Assembly' group Exhibition in Rye and was selected for the Royal Institute of painters in watercolor exhibition at The Mall Galleries, and the ING Discerning Eye, also at the Mall Galleries. Marguerite also had a solo exhibition called 'Perpetual Light' at Farm Street Church, Mayfair.

In 2023 a book called Numinous’ about the 'Numinous' exhibition was published by Hurtwood Books and distributed through Thames and Hudson with an essay by Dr Matthew James Holman - Courtauld Postdoctoral Fellow and author of ‘Curating Modern Life: Frank O’Hara and Cold War Art’ and an introduction by Matt Price - writer, curator and editor of Anomie publishing . 

 

This will be one of the first of the Hurtwood Contemporary Artist Series which aims to spotlight a talented and diverse range of artists whether established or early in their careers. Each publication showcases a significant body of work or exhibition by a single artist with high-quality reproductions and features a foreword and an essay by leading writers and curators. Dynamic and forward looking, Hurtwood’s Contemporary Artist series responds to culture as it happens, documenting the work of artists working nationally and internationally today.

Her work is in both Public and Private international collections and is in The British National Collection and Yale Centre for British Art, New Haven, Connecticut U.S.A.

Marguerite has been a visiting artist at Leeds University and City Lit London and ESOP: The Essential School of Painting.

 

 

 

BSA 17 Bridgeman studio award 2017

M A R G U E R I T E    H O R N E R

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