Conrad Atkinson Remembering Conrad Atkinson

Oct 21, 2022

We are deeply saddened by the news that our friend Conrad Atkinson passed away on October 8, 2022. As an artist, activist, and teacher, Conrad committed his life and work to advocate for those without a platform or voice. Growing up in the mining village of Cleator Moor in Cumbria, England, he observed and empathized with the struggles of the Irish coalminers, propelling him to speak out for proletarians and those marginalized by society. This politic served as a driving force throughout his career, as he investigated themes of war, corporate malfeasance, growing inequality, and its effect on the working class worldwide.

Conrad Atkinson has been represented by Ronald Feldman Fine Arts since 1979. His work is included in numerous museum collections, among them are the Tate Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, the British Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Wolverhampton Art Gallery, and the Australian National Gallery. Dividing his time between Britain and the United States, he was a Professor Emeritus at University of California at Davis. He was also a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Courtauld Institute, London University, and an Honorary Fellow at Cumbria University.

He used art as an agitator to defend human rights, and we join him in his belief that art can change the world.

Conrad Atkinson will be deeply missed by many in the art world, his students, two children, and beloved wife and fellow artist, Margaret Harrison.

To learn more about Conrad Atkinson's work, please go here.