"As things come and go, they show signs of their coming or going, and these signs I consider to be most beautiful. Flowers in bud, or things in decay, as it were, suggest the transience of things. In my work I like to pair contrasting objects, some timeless and others fleeting. I think in turn this shows the fragility of both and allows us to reflect on the changing course of our own lives. In this work I have been inspired by the Fates of Greek Mythology (Moirai); three deities which determine and spin the course of our lives. I have represented them as poppies with their face turned away from us to suggest the unknowable and inscrutable future."
Joseph Black, July 2023


Joseph Black lives and works in Kent, where he has his own studio. He trained at Camberwell College of Art, graduating with a BA Hons in Painting in 2015, followed by a Master’s degree in the History of Art from The Courtauld Institute of Art in 2016.
Joseph Black's art intricately weaves technical precision with a poetic and tranquil sensibility. Through a muted palette and focused composition, he isolates subjects against simple backgrounds, revealing profound metaphors in the natural world.