Zara Matthews lives and works in London, UK. She studied at Goldsmiths College from 1979 to 1980, Kingston Polytechnic from 1980 to 1983 and The Royal College of Art from 1997 to 1999. In 1985 Matthews started teaching Fine Art Drawing and Painting alongside her studio practice, including at The University of East London, Putney School of Art and London Metropolitan.
Since the mid-1980’s Matthews has shown extensively both in the UK, Europe and USA. Most recently she has shown in The Royal Academy Summer Show 2022; Small is Beautiful 40th edition, Flowers Gallery, London, Cork Street W1 2022-23; [Re]Configured at The Mall Galleries, The Mall, London W1. Matthews was long listed for Future Now - 125 Artist from The Aesthetica Art Prize in 2021, selected for 100 Contemporary Artists, Aesthetica Magazine in 2020, shortlisted for The Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize in 2019, nominated for The 6th Max Mara Art Prize for Women in 2016-17, and awarded The Wapping Project Berlin Residency in 2015.
Notable Group Exhibitions include
WCPF23 Curated Hang
Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair 2023
The Summer Exhibition 2022
Royal Academy of Arts
Burlington House, Piccadilly
Small is Beautiful 40th Edition 2022 - 23
Flowers Gallery, London, Cork Street
RE]Configured, Contemporary Figurative Art
Mall Galleries, London, St James’s
Wells Art Contemporary 2021
Wells Cathedral, Somerset
Figurative Art Now 2021
Federation of British Artists
The Trinity Buoy Wharf / Jerwood
Drawing Prize 2019
London/Salisbury/Leicester
ING Discerning Eye 2019
Selected by Cherie Federico
Aesthetica Magazine
Mall Galleries, London
Swarovsky Art Icon Award Auction 2014,
Whitechapel Gallery, London
The Threadneedle Prize 2013, Mall Galleries,
London
Wall of Light 2010, Standpoint Gallery, East
London
East End Academy : The Painting Edition 2009,
Whitechapel Gallery, London
Terra Nova, Chimera and Chromosomes
1996, Harewood House, Leeds
British Realism 2006 : Flowers East, London
Sensory Material 2006 : Bonhams, London
Small is Beautiful (Love, Nursery Rhymes &
Autobiography) 2008/2009 and Artist of the
Day selected by Eileen Agar : Flowers East,
London
Solo Shows include
Shelf Life 2023, imprints-Galerie, Crest, France
Chambre 2011, Eagle Gallery EMH Arts,
London
State of Play 2004, Galerie Kampf at Kunst,
Zurich
Conception Genome 2003, Eagle Gallery EMH
Arts, London with video premiered at The
Institute of Child Health supported by The
Wellcome Trust and Progress Educational
Trust.
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