Connor Coulston

Oldham-born Connor Coulston is an artist whose practice is defined by the ongoing conversation between his self-deprecating sense of humour, wild imagination and the materiality of clay.

The majority of Coulston’s work is a result of a fascination for the kitsch ceramic ornaments that you would usually find in a charity shop or that have adorned his grandmother’s fireplace. He subverts these often mundane pieces through a rigorous questioning of their legacy and hidden narrative whilst focusing on personal issues such as depression, queer identity and his grandmother’s love for right-wing politicians. Humour is used as a tool to create surreal and daring sculptures, lulling his audience into a false sense of security before the works’ sinister undertones are revealed.

Following his graduation from the Royal College of Art with an MA in 2017, Coulston was selected as one of fifty artists commissioned by Sky Arts to explore what it means to be British post-Brexit. He was also the winner of the Ingram Prize 2020 and runner-up at the BCB AWARD 2021.

Connor is currently Head of Ceramics at Eton College, where he is inspiring a new generation of artists.