Ferg Cooper is a visual artist working primarily in painting, drawing and photography. His 'Queer Pop Art' is rooted in queer theory mashed with comic book tropes and aesthetics. Many of his works use imagery inspired by strangers' social media posts, or models discovered online.
Ferg graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2017 with an MA in Fine Art. He has participated in residencies including the Florence Trust and 'Plop'. He joined the inaugural panel of Artcry, a fund giving fast answers on funding for political work, and has mentored for NPA Labs.
Ferg has exhibited with several galleries across London and the UK, including Tate Exchange, Menier Gallery, San Mei, Mall Galleries, and Islington Arts Factory. He has worked with several collectives including Bad Art Presents and Raw Art Forum, and made commissions for The Unicorn Theatre and Artcry, as well as designs for club nights and record sleeves. He is currently based at Bow Arts, Camden.
Selected bio / exhibitions
Education/Residencies/Projects
2024 - Cosimo Scholarship
2020-21 - Artcry - steering committee / inaugural panel
2020 - NPA Lab: sustaining practices - mentor
2019 - PLOP Residency, London
2017-2018 - Florence Trust Residency, London
2015-2017 - MA Fine Art, Central Saint Martins
Selected exhibitions
2024 - 'Smalltown Boy', SWG3, Glasgow
2024 - 'Autonomous', Adorn The Common, London
2024 - 'Summer Show', The Lounge, London
2024 - 'Fruit', Greatorex st, London
2023 - 'Oh How Queer', Adorn The Common, London
2023 - 'Queer Fringe', Bordello Collective, Middlesborough
2023 - 'One Off', Candid Gallery, London
2023 - 'Koppel X Group Show', Koppel X, London
2022 - 'Reading Between The Lines', London
2022 - 'Koppel Hive Group Show', Koppel Hive, London
2021 - 'Showcase', Koppel 540, London
2020 - 'Pending', San Mei Gallery, London
2020 - 'Art Number 23 Virtual Exhibition', online
2020 - 'Showcase', Koppel Project, London
2020 - 'Brain Fried', Artcry, installation across London
2020 - 'Show Off!', Menier Gallery, London
2019 - 'Wot Is Art', Dec 2019 issue, publication
2019 - 'Winter Showcase', Koppel Project Central, London
2019 - 'Exceptional', Collyer Bristow, London
2019 - 'GIFC', House of Vans, London
2019 - 'TCT The Art of Music', Union Club, London
2019 - 'Secret Art Prize 2019', longlisted
2019 - 'Summer Salon', Islington Arts Factory, London
2019 - 'Partnership Matters', charity auction, London
2019 - 'Fandom', BadArt, London
2019 - 'A Work of Art', Art Number 23, London
2018 - 'Elephant X Griffin Prize 2018', longlisted
2018 - 'September Auction', AucArt, online
2018 - 'Raw Art Forum', Birdwood House, Totnes
2018 - 'Nutopia', Artizan Gallery, Torquay
2018 - 'Hospital Rooms 20x20', Griffin Gallery, London
2018 - 'London Loop', shortlisted
2018 - 'Ashurst Emerging Artist 2018', featured artist
2017 - 'Helen Scott Lidgett Award', shortlisted
2017 - 'Jackson's Open Painting Prize 2017', longlisted
2017 - 'Ashurst Emerging Artist 2017', featured artist
2017 - 'Show Zero', Hannahs at Seale Hayne, Newton Abbot
2016 - 'RWA 164 Annual Open Exhibition', shortlisted
2016 - ‘Counting Backwards’, Granary Square, London
2016 - 'Our Laughter Will Drown Your Sorrows', The Laundry, London
2015 - ‘Epilogue’, solo exhibition, The Haberdashery, London
2015 - ‘Creekside Open 2015’, selected by Richard Deacon / Lisa Milroy