Carl Randall (born 1975) is a British figurative painter, whose work is based on images of modern Japan and London.

Carl Randall
Carl Randall
Artist Carl Randall
Born
Carlo Lombardi[1][2]

1975
UK
NationalityBritish
EducationSlade School of Fine Art, Royal Drawing School, Tokyo University of the Arts.
Known forPainting/Fine art
Awards2012 BP Travel Award, London; 2011 Nomura Art Prize, Japan; 1998 Singer & Friedlander Watercolour Competition 1st Prize
Websitewww.carlrandall.com

Education

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Randall is a graduate of The Slade School of Fine Art London (BA Fine Art),[3] the Royal Drawing School London (The Drawing Year),[4] and Tokyo University of the Arts Japan (MFA & PhD Fine Art).[5]

Portraits of Modern Japan

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Randall was awarded The BP Travel Award 2012,[6][7] for his proposal to walk in the footsteps of the Japanese ukiyo-e printmaker Andō Hiroshige, creating paintings of the people and places of contemporary Japan.[8] His project involved spending time in Japan resulting in a group of 15 paintings exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in London as part of The 2013 BP Portrait Award exhibition, under the title "In the Footsteps of Hiroshige – The Tokaido Highway and Portraits of Modern Japan".[9][10][11] The exhibition subsequently toured to The Aberdeen Art Gallery Scotland,[12] The Wolverhampton Art Gallery England,[11] and then formed his solo exhibition in Japan 'Portraits from Edo to the Present'[13][14] at The Shizuoka City Tokaido Hiroshige Museum, where the paintings were exhibited alongside Hiroshige's original The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō woodblock prints. In conjunction with these exhibitions, the book Carl Randall – Japan Portraits was published, illustrating paintings and drawings made in Japan, with a foreword by British author Desmond Morris, and an introduction by the late American writer Donald Richie.[15] A short documentary, Carl Randall – Japan Portraits was also made, showing the artist painting and drawing in Japan.[16] His Japan paintings were also the subject of a 2016 'World Update' interview by the BBC World Service (titled 'Painting the faces in Japan's crowded cities'),[17] and he was also interviewed by CNN about his Japanese work.[18]

 
Carl Randall with his Japan Travel Award work at The National Portrait Gallery London, 2013.[9]

Awards, scholarships, residencies, collections

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As well as The BP Travel Award, he also received first prize in the 1998 RWS/Sunday Times Watercolour Competition,[19] he twice received Second prize in The William Coldstream Painting Competition at The Slade School (1996 & 1997),[20] and was awarded The 2011 Nomura Art Prize by Tokyo University of Arts[21] (for the top PhD graduate exhibition, with his painting 'Roppongi Nightclub' being bought for the University Museum's collection). Scholarships include Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation[22] and MEXT[5] to continue his career as a painter in Tokyo, where he lived for 10 years.[23] He was selected to be the artist in residence at the 2007 Grand Prix Formula 1 Races in Japan,[24] and was interviewed about his paintings for the CNN programme 'The Japanese Grand Prix: F1 in Japan'.[18] He was also invited to be artist in residence in Hiroshima City, to meet and paint portraits of hibakusha (survivors of the atomic bomb), as part of the exhibition Hiroshima Art Document[25] (the resulting series of portrait drawings now in permanent collection of UCL Art Museum, University College London [26]). In 2014, his large canvas 'Tokyo Portrait' was bought by Fondation Carmignac in Paris, joining works in the collection by artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichenstein, Jean-Michel Basquait, Keith Haring, Jeff Koons, Gerhard Richter.[27] His paintings are also in The Royal Collection[28] and The Shizuoka City Tokaido Hiroshige Museum of Art, Japan.[29] Fine art prints of his paintings are in the collections of King's College, Cambridge; National Poetry Library at Southbank Centre; Zoological Society of London; Channel 4 News Studios; The National Film and Television School; Akram Khan Dance Company; Curtis Brown Group; Aardman Animation, Bristol; Kent University; Hanway Films; Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Leeds; The Comedy Store; Bar Italia Soho.[30]

Exhibitions

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Mr. Kitazawa's Noodle Bar, winner of the 2012 BP Travel Award, at The National Portrait Gallery in London[31]

His works have been exhibited at a number of exhibitions and galleries, including The Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award 2024[32][33][34] and also the BP Portrait Awards (2002,[35] 2012,[35] 2013[36]) at The National Portrait Gallery London; the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition (2003, 2009,[37] 2013,[38][39] 2019[40][41]), and The Royal Society of Portrait Painters annual exhibition (2012,[42][43] 2017,[44][45] 2018,[46] 2020,[47] 2022,[48][49]2024)[50] including 'Reassorted'[51] a curated follow-up exhibition of 29 specially selected works by art critic William Feaver. As well as this, he has been invited to take part in 'Small is Beautiful' at Flowers Gallery Cork St. central London for each consecutive year from 2017 to present;[52][53][54][55][56][57][1] The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize (2017,[58][59] 2018[60][61]), ING Discerning Eye 2020,[62][63] and the Jerwood Drawing Prize 2012.[64] In 2014, he had two solo exhibitions in central London of work inspired by the people and places of Tokyo: 'Tokyo Portraits'[65] at The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation (exhibition opened by novelist David Mitchell[66]), and 'Shōzō [肖像]' at Berloni London.[67][68] In the same year, his solo exhibition 'Portraits from Edo to the Present'[69][14] was at The Shizuoka City Tokaido Hiroshige Museum of Art in Japan, where his paintings were exhibited alongside Ando Hiroshige's original The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō woodblock prints (he was also commissioned by the Museum to make a painting for their collection – a contemporary view of Mount Fuji, as depicted in one of Hiroshige's prints[29]). Other exhibitions in Japan include at Tokyo Art Award,[70] Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Arts,[71] and a solo exhibition at Fuma Contemporary Tokyo, Bunkyo Art.[72] Participation in international art fairs include Art Volta, Basel Switzerland;[73] Art Taipei, Taiwan;[71] Art International Istanbul,[74] Art Osaka[75] and Art Fair Tokyo 2019, Japan.[76][77] In 2015, he was commissioned by HRH Prince of Wales to paint a World War Two D-Day Veteran for The Royal Collection, exhibited at The Queens Gallery, Buckingham Palace,[78][79] Portsmouth Museum,[80] and Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh, Scotland.[81][82] In 2016, his work was exhibited and auctioned at Christie's New York,[83][84][85] and in 2020 Christie's London.[86] Earlier in his career, he was included in the 2004 group exhibition 'Being Present' at The Jerwood Gallery London, showcasing eight young UK figurative painters who primarily work from life.[87][88][89]

London Portraits

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'London Portraits' are a series of 15 paintings made upon Randall's return to the UK, of people who have contributed to their fields in British culture and society.[90][91][92] Each sitter was asked to choose a location in London for the background of their portraits. Participants include newscaster Jon Snow, actress Julie Walters, comedian Jo Brand, animator Nick Park, author/illustrator Raymond Briggs, novelist David Mitchell, actress Katie Leung, illustrator Dave McKean, poet Benjamin Zephaniah, movie producer Jeremy Thomas, film-maker Julien Temple, poet Simon Armitage, choreographer Akram Khan, zoologist Desmond Morris, actor Antony Sher and Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company Gregory Doran. A short documentary Carl Randall – London Portraits was made in conjunction with the project, showing Randall meeting and painting the sitters – each explaining their choice of location in London for their portraits.[93] Prints of this series of paintings were displayed at the print room of The National Portrait Gallery, London.[90][91][92] In 2017, he created a large monochrome painting depicting Piccadilly Circus London, a busy central London shopping area, which involved meeting and painting the portraits of over 75 London residents directly from life.[94] In 2018, he painted over 55 portraits in a large oil painting depicting central London's Waterloo Bridge and Thames River area[95][96](exhibited at The Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition 2019).[40][41] In 2021, Carl was commissioned by Bob Bob Ricard to create a series of four new portrait paintings of restaurateurs/people in the hospitality industry, for their new £25 million[97] restaurant in the Leadenhall building, the City of London. The portraits depict chef & author Pierre Koffmann; food critic for Bloomberg for 25 years Richard Vines; and restaurateurs/businessmen Leonid Shutov, and Roman & Mikhail Zelman. They are set against London locations such as the City of London, the Barbican centre, and 5 Hertford Street Club in Mayfair.[98]

Lecturing/talks

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Randall has been invited to give talks at UCL Art Museum (University College London),[99] The London Art Fair,[100] CharterHouse School,[101] Cambridge University,[102] The British Council in Tokyo,[102] The National Portrait Gallery London,[103] The Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation (chaired by the Head of Undergraduate Painting at The Slade School),[104] and at The Swedenborg Society in Bloomsbury - invited by The Japan Society London.[105][106] In Tokyo, he was adjunct professor in Fine Art at Temple University Japan[107] and painting and drawing tutor at Suidobata Art Academy.[108] In London, he has been invited to give painting and drawing workshops at Heatherleys School of Fine Art,[109] The Art Academy[110] and The Royal Drawing School.[4]

Selected works

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Books

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  • Carl Randall – Japan Portraits (2013) ISBN 978-0-9926089-0-3

References

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  1. ^ a b 'Flowers Gallery – Small is Beautiful Exhibition 2023', Flowers Gallery, London, 2023
  2. ^ 'Interview with artist Carl Randall', Metralla Rosa, 2021
  3. ^ The Slade School of Fine Art Undergraduate Show 1999, Slade School of Fine Art, University College London, 1999
  4. ^ a b The Princes Drawing School Alumni 2002/03, The Princes Drawing School, The Princes Foundation, 2002
  5. ^ a b Randall, Carl (2012), Tokyo Portraits – by former MEXT scholar Carl Randall, The Japanese Embassy, London, retrieved 11 December 2013
  6. ^ 'BP Travel Award 2012'., The National Portrait Gallery London, 2013
  7. ^ 'Carl Randall's Japan - the best BP Travel Award Exhibition ever!'., Making a Mark, art blog, 2013
  8. ^ "US artist wins £25,000 BP Portrait prize with painting of 'Auntie'.", The Guardian, 2012
  9. ^ a b c The 2012 BP Travel Award, The National Portrait Gallery, London, 2013, retrieved 11 December 2013
  10. ^ In the Footsteps of Hiroshige – The Tokaido Highway and Portraits of Modern Japan – The 2012 BP Portrait Award at The National Portrait Gallery . "Tomorrows World", Artists & Illustrators Magazine, London, August 2013 issue, pages 34–37
  11. ^ a b Susan (19 June 2013), In the Footsteps of Hiroshige – The Tokaido Highway and Portraits of Modern Japan, The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, London, retrieved 11 December 2013
  12. ^ Victoria Pease (12 November 2013). "Painting Japan: Carl Randall on bringing Asia to Aberdeen". STV. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
  13. ^ Carl Randall's 'Tokaido Highway Portraits' to be displayed in Japan for the first time, 8 July to 11 September 2014., The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, London, 2014
  14. ^ a b Follow in the footsteps of Carl Randall on the Tokaido Highway (Time Out Tokyo), Time Out Tokyo, Japan, 2014, archived from the original on 22 June 2014, retrieved 18 July 2014
  15. ^ Mumford, Rachel (9 July 2013), Carl Randall's 'Japan Portraits' available for purchase, The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, London, retrieved 11 December 2013
  16. ^ "Video: Carl Randall in Japan", Artists & Illustrators, London: Chelsea Magazines Ltd., 31 July 2013, retrieved 11 December 2013
  17. ^ BBC World Service: World Update. 'Carl Randall – Painting the faces in Japan's crowded cities'., BBC, 2016
  18. ^ a b The Japanese Grand Prix: F1 in Japan, CNN (Cable News Network), 2018
  19. ^ The 1998 Singer & Friedlander/Sunday Times Watercolour Competition. "Fresh Fields, New Faces", The Sunday Times, London, 6 September 1998, page 8
  20. ^ Carl Randall – About., www.carlrandall.com, 2015
  21. ^ a b The 2012 Nomura Art Prize, The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, London, 2012
  22. ^ Daiwa Scholars 2003, The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, London, 2003, retrieved 11 December 2013
  23. ^ Carl Randall- Picturing a Culture, JapanGasm blog, Tokyo, 16 July 2013, retrieved 12 December 2013
  24. ^ ING Fresh Eyes on Formula 1, Car and Driver Magazine, Japan, December 2007
  25. ^ Susan (26 June 2012), Dr Carl Randall, former Daiwa Scholar, exhibiting at the Mall Galleries, London in May; at London's National Portrait Gallery, 21 June-23 September 2012 and then touring, The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, London, retrieved 11 December 2013
  26. ^ a b UCL Art Museum acquires Carl Randall's 'Hibakusha' Portraits, The Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation, 2014
  27. ^ Foundation Carmignac – artists in collection, Fondation Carmignac Paris, 2019
  28. ^ D-Day veteran James 'Jim' Glennie by Carl Randall., The Royal Collection Trust, 2015
  29. ^ a b Carl Randall's new painting of Miho No Matsubara, The Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation, 2016
  30. ^ 'Carl Randall fine art prints now in various collections', The Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation, 2021
  31. ^ Prize Winners, The National Portrait Gallery, London, 2012, retrieved 11 December 2013
  32. ^ Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award 2024, The National Portrait Gallery, London, 2024
  33. ^ Selected Artists - HSF Portrait Award 2024 at the National Portrait Gallery, Making a Mark, 2024
  34. ^ a b BP Portrait Award 2012, The National Portrait Gallery, London, 2012
  35. ^ BP Portrait Award 2013, The National Portrait Gallery, London, 2013
  36. ^ Mr Kitazawa's Noodle Bar, Tokyo by Carl Randall, The National Portrait gallery, London, 2012
  37. ^ a b 10 reasons to visit the 2013 RA Summer show, Making a Mark, 10 June 2013
  38. ^ Carl Randall work selected for prestigious RA Summer Exhibition, Daiwa Anglo Japanese foundation, 9 June 2013
  39. ^ a b 7 Must-See Highlights Of The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2019 - Including A Brand New Banksy, Londonist, Tabish Khan, 2019
  40. ^ a b Carl Randall's Waterloo Bridge to be on display at the RA Summer Exhibition 2019, Daiwa Anglo Japanese foundation, 30 May 2019
  41. ^ "Carl Randall", The Prince's Drawing School Alumni Programme, London, 16 May 2012, archived from the original on 23 October 2013, retrieved 11 December 2013
  42. ^ Susan (26 June 2012), Dr Carl Randall, former Daiwa Scholar, exhibiting at the Mall Galleries, London in May..., London: The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation
  43. ^ The Royal Society of Portrait Painters Exhibition 2017, London: The Royal Society of Portrait Painters, 2017
  44. ^ Royal Society Portrait Painters Exhibition. The Daily Telegraph, London, May 2nd 2017, page 8.
  45. ^ The Royal Society of Portrait Painters Exhibition 2018, London: The Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation, 2018
  46. ^ The Royal Society of Portrait Painters Exhibition 2020, London: The Mall Galleries, 2020
  47. ^ The Royal Society of Portrait Painters Exhibition 2020, London: The Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation, 2022
  48. ^ The Royal Society of Portrait Painters Exhibition 2022, London: The Mall Galleries London, 2022
  49. ^ The Royal Society of Portraits Painters 2024, London: The Mall Galleries London, 2024
  50. ^ Reassorted - The Royal Society of Portraits Painters 2024, London: The Mall Galleries London, 2024
  51. ^ 'Flowers Gallery – Small is Beautiful Exhibition 2017', Flowers Gallery, London, 2017
  52. ^ 'Flowers Gallery – Small is Beautiful Exhibition 2018', Flowers Gallery, London, 2018
  53. ^ 'Flowers Gallery – Small is Beautiful Exhibition 2019', Flowers Gallery, London, 2019
  54. ^ 'Flowers Gallery – Small is Beautiful Exhibition 2020', Flowers Gallery, London, 2020
  55. ^ 'Flowers Gallery – Small is Beautiful Exhibition 2021' (PDF), Flowers Gallery, London, 2021
  56. ^ 'Flowers Gallery – Small is Beautiful Exhibition 2022', Flowers Gallery, London, 2022
  57. ^ The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize Exhibition 2017, London: The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize, 2017
  58. ^ Carl Randall paintings shortlisted for the 2017 Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize, London: The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, 24 February 2017
  59. ^ The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize Exhibition 2018, London: The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize, 2018
  60. ^ Carl Randall paintings exhibited at The Lynn Painter Stainers Prize Exhibition, 5 to 17 March 2018, London: The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, 2 March 2018
  61. ^ 'ING Discerning Eye 2020', ING Discerning Eye, 2020
  62. ^ 'Carl Randall exhibiting new painting at ING Discerning Eye Exhibition, London: The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation
  63. ^ Susan (11 September 2012), Carl Randall, a former Daiwa Scholar, will be exhibiting at the 2012 Jerwood Drawing Prize, London, 12 September – 28 October, The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, London, retrieved 11 December 2013
  64. ^ 'Tokyo Portraits' solo exhibition, The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, London, 2014
  65. ^ 'Tokyo Portraits' private view opened by David Mitchell, The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, London, 2014
  66. ^ 'Shōzō [肖像]' solo exhibition, Berloni Gallery London, 2014
  67. ^ Carl Randall's Shōzō [肖像] at the Berloni Gallery London, 17 September to 15 November 2014., The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, London, 2014
  68. ^ Carl Randall's 'Tokaido Highway Portraits' to be displayed in Japan for the first time, 8 July to 11 September 2014., The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, London, 2014
  69. ^ Tokyo Art Award 2009, Art Award Tokyo, Maranouchi, Tokyo, Japan, 2009
  70. ^ a b Carl Randall resume - Berloni Gallery London, Berloni Gallery, London, 2012
  71. ^ Solo Exhibition Tokyo, Tokyo Art Beat, Tokyo, Japan, 2009, retrieved 13 December 2013
  72. ^ Art Volta 2014, Basel Switzerland, The Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation, London, 2014
  73. ^ Carl Randall's work on display at ArtInternational Istanbul, 4-7 September 2015, The Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation, London, 2015
  74. ^ Art Osaka, Art Osaka, Japan, 2019
  75. ^ Art Fair Tokyo, Art Fair Tokyo, 2019
  76. ^ Tokyo Street Scene by Carl Randall on display at Art Fair Tokyo 2019, The Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation, London, 2019
  77. ^ The Last Parade – Portraits of the veterans of D-Day., The Telegraph, 2015
  78. ^ The Last of the Tide: Twelve portraits of D-Day veterans go on show at Buckingham Palace., Culture 24, 2015
  79. ^ Portsmouth Museum - Portraits of D-Day Veterans., Portsmouth Museum, 2019
  80. ^ Last of the Tide, Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh., The Royal Collection Trust, 2016
  81. ^ Carl Randall's D-Day veteran portrait will be on display in Edinburgh from 15 January to 28 March 2016., The Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation London, 2016
  82. ^ Christie's New York Exhibition., Christie's, 2016
  83. ^ Christie's New York., The Royal Drawing School London, 2016
  84. ^ Carl Randall exhibits at Christie's New York., The Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation London, 2016
  85. ^ Carl Randall exhibiting at Christie's Auction House on Thursday 20 February., The Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation, London, 2020
  86. ^ Being Present – Eight Painters. (PDF), The Jerwood Space, London, 2004, archived from the original (PDF) on 13 February 2012, retrieved 17 July 2015
  87. ^ We're still here, say exponents of oldest art. Forgotten painters challenge the avant garde., The Guardian Newspaper, UK, 12 May 2004
  88. ^ The Portrait Now., The National Portrait Gallery, 2006, ISBN 0300115245
  89. ^ a b London Portraits by Carl Randall., Making a Mark, Art Blog, London, 2016
  90. ^ a b Carl Randall's 'London Portraits' on display in National Portrait Gallery., The Royal Drawing School, London, 2016
  91. ^ a b Carl Randall's London Portraits., The Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation London, 2016
  92. ^ Carl Randall's London Portraits – Video Documentary., The Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation London, 2016
  93. ^ Carl Randall paints 70 people in Piccadilly Circus., Making a Mark, Art Blog, London, 2018
  94. ^ Carl Randall paints Waterloo Bridge, London and 57 people from life., Making a Mark, Art Blog, London, 2019
  95. ^ Waterloo Bridge by Carl Randall, Daiwa Scholarship alumnus., Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation, London, 2019
  96. ^ First look: Bob Bob Cité reborn as Bob Bob Ricard City., The Evening Standard, London, 2021
  97. ^ Carl Randall commissioned to create portrait paintings celebrating restaurateurs and the hospitality industry., The Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation London, 2021
  98. ^ Carl Randall Talk at UCL Museum., Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation, 2015
  99. ^ Carl Randall Talk at London Art Fair., Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation, 2015
  100. ^ Carl Randall Talk at Charterhouse School., Charterhouse School, 2014, archived from the original on 2 April 2015, retrieved 28 February 2015
  101. ^ a b Carl Randall – Resume – Introduction., www.carlrandall.com, 2015
  102. ^ Carl Randall Talk at Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation., Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation, 2014
  103. ^ Painting Modern Japan, with artist Carl Randall., The Japan Society London, 2022
  104. ^ Painting Modern Japan, with artist Carl Randall., The Japanese Embassy London, 2022
  105. ^ Temple University Japan – Staff., Temple University Japan campus, 2015
  106. ^ Suidobata Art Academy Tokyo – Staff., Suidobata Art Academy Tokyo, 2013
  107. ^ Heatherleys School of Fine Art – Staff., Heatherleys School of Fine Art, London, 2016
  108. ^ The Art Academy – Staff., The Art Academy, London, 2014
  109. ^ BP Portrait Award 2013, The National Portrait gallery, London, 2013
  110. ^ Fondation Carmignac – Carl Randall, Fondation Carmignac Paris, 2014, archived from the original on 11 September 2017, retrieved 6 February 2016
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