Ray Richardson

Ray Richardson was born in 1964 and is a British painter. He lives and works in London.

He spent his childhood in the Woolwich Dockyard area. Graduated from Saint Martin's School of Art (1983–1984) and Goldsmiths College (1984–1987). He won his first British Council Award in 1989 and the BP Portrait Award in 1990. At the same time, he began a long collaboration with three galleries: Boycott Gallery in Brussels, Galerie Alain Blondel in Paris and Beaux Arts gallery in London. Since 2016, he collaborates with the Zedes Art Gallery in Brussels.

Based on his observations, he paints his world of southeast London. In 1993, the Telegraph Magazine commissioned him paintings and drawings of the world heavyweight champion boxer Lennox Lewis which were then offered by the magazine to and accepted by the National Portrait Gallery.

Over time, he has depicted not only everyday scenes in southeast London but a larger social panorama, mixing criticism, humour and personal concerns. Richardson uses his very emblematic English Bull Terrier as a metaphor or double in his narration which takes places in urban or coastal landscapes, caravans and football fields.