Guy Denning is a self-taught English contemporary artist and painter based in France. He is the founder of the neomodern group and part of the urban art scene in Bristol.
Denning was born in Somerset, England. Prior to his commercial success in art he worked full-time on top of his painting at weekends and at night. He had a series of jobs, working as a roofer, general labourer, shop assistant, and pathology lab worker.
He does not always work to set motifs, but sometimes makes paintings and drawings from observation and photographic reference.
He has stated that his work has been significantly informed by the subject of war "When I was about 11 or 12 I came to France with my parents and they took me to the war cemetery at Verdun. It was the most significant thing that ever happened to me."
Beginning in 1992, Denning has exhibited across Britain. His first solo show with Red Propeller Gallery featured paintings connected to the 9/11 terrorist attack. Although created at the time of this atrocity, Denning delayed its exhibition. The show was completely sold out.
Denning held a trio of international exhibitions in 2011/12 showcasing paintings interpreting Dante's Divine Comedy. The paintings examined Britain's failings and political problems. In 2013 he was one of the artists invited to participate in the Paris Tower 13 urban art project. In 2015 Denning spoke at the UNESCO presentation at the COP21 climate conference concerning artistic activism and climate change awareness.
In 2018, for the centenary of the Armistice, Denning pasted 112 life size drawings of French First World War soldiers to the walls of the village of La Feuillee to mark the loss of that particular village during the war.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2026
ArtPost, Gympie, QLD, Australia
Galerie l’Urbatypik, Landerneau, France
Pretty Portal, Düsseldorf, Germany
2025
Galerie Sandra Blum, Strasbourg, France
2024
“Works on Paper”, Gympie Regional Gallery, QLD, Australia
BSMT Space, London, UK
2023
Li Mei-Franco Gallery, Pasadena, US
2021
Le Lavo//Matik Galerie, Paris, France
Galerie Cartel, Strasbourg, France
2020
MAUSA Vauban, Neuf-Brisach, France
Galerie Brugier-Rigail, Paris, France
Le Lavo//Matik Galerie, Paris, France
2019
La Neomudejar de Atocha, Madrid, Spain
2018
La Feuillee, Finistere, France
2017
Box Galleries, London, UK
Hartlepool Art Gallery, Hartlepool, UK
2016
La Neomudejar de Atocha, Madrid, Spain
2015
Galerie Brugier-Rigail, Paris, France
Maison de la Fontaine, Brest, France
Pretty Portal, Düsseldorf, Germany
Maison pour tous, Chateaulin, France
2014
Galerie Brugier-Rigail, Paris, France
2013
Raison d’Art, Lille, France
2012
Signal Gallery, London, UK
2011
Brooklynite Gallerys, New York, US
MAGI’900 Museo, Bologna, Italy
2010
St Martin in the Fields, London, UK
2009
Carmichael Gallery, Los Angeles, US
Signal Gallery, London, UK
2008
Vyner Street Gallery, London, UK
2007
Red Propeller Gallery, Kingsbridge, UK
2005
Tobacco Factory, Bristol, UK
2003
Lauderdale House, London, UK
2002
Concrete Arts, Bristol, UK
2001
The Cube Microplex, Bristol, UK
1998
Roundtower Gallery, Frome, UK
1994
Artsite, Midsomer Norton, UK
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2026
Ben Oakley Gallery, London, UK
La Quadrature du Cercle, Galerie Laurent Rigail, Paris, France
2025
“Altered Eyes”, Artlands, California, US
2024
“Protest by Design”, Praxix N16, London, UK
“British Invasion”, The LMFA, Sierra Madre, US
“We Are Here”, Petit Palais, Paris, France
Knafo-Pouyet Galerie, Paris, France
2023
MAUSA Bitche, Bitche, France
Revolting Artists, Weymouth, UK
2022
BSMT Space, London, UK
2021
Pretty Portal Gallery, Düsseldorf, Germany
Le Spote, Brest, France
2019
UrbanArt Biennale, Völklingen, Germany
BSMT Space, London, UK
2018
MAUSA Vauban, Neuf-Brisach, France
Galerie Brugier-Rigail, Paris, France
Tales of Art Gallery, Imola, Italy
2017
Pretty Portal Gallery, Düsseldorf, Germany
Le Lavo//Matik Galerie, Paris, France
The Fan Museum, London, UK
Raison d’Art, Lille, France
2016
Box Galleries, London, UK
2015
UNICEF at COP21, Paris, France
Raison d’Art, Lille, France
MDM Museum, Sardinia, Italy
Ben Oakley Gallery, London, UK
Upfest, Bristol, UK
PDP Gallery, London, UK
Traffic Gallery, Bergamo, Italy
2014
999-contemporary, Rome, Italy
Galerie Maison Dauphine, Aix-en-Provence, France
Galerie Phoenix, Cologne, Germany
2013
Ben Oakley Gallery, London, UK
Tour Paris 13, Galerie Itinerrance, Paris, France
Les Capucins, Brest, France
Sand, Sea and Spray, Blackpool, UK
Pretty Portal, Düsseldorf, Germany
999-contemporary, Rome, Italy
Les Stèles, Morlaix, France
2012
Able & Baker Gallery, Cologne, Germany
Cerritos Gallery, Los Angeles, US
Signal Gallery, London, UK
2011
East Gallery, London, UK
Signal Gallery, London, UK
Crimes of Mind, Brest, France
Carmichael Gallery, Los Angeles, US
2010
Brooklynite Gallery, New York, US
2009
Blackall Studios, London, UK
Upfest, Bristol, UK
Mauger Modern, Bath, UK
2008
Raison d’Art, Lille, France
2007
“12 Days of Xmas” pop-up, Bristol, UK
Rostra Gallery, Bath, UK
2006
John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
2005
Artfile, Oxfordshire, UK
2004
Blue Wing Gallery, Richmond, UK
2003
Brighton Festival, UK
2002
Salamander Gallery, Westerham, UK
Art in Mental Health (touring exhibition), UK
2001
Language, The Cube Microplex, Bristol, UK
1995
RWA Open, Bristol, UK
1994
Zip C.A., Sheffield, UK
1993
Cold Bath Gallery, Farmborough, UK
1992
A for, Reading, UK
Royal United Hospital, Bath, UK
WORK IN INSTITUTIONAL COLLECTIONS
Bath Royal United Hospital NHS Trust, Bath, UK
Espace muséographique Victor Schœlcher, Fessenheim, France
Gympie Returned Service League, Queensland, Australia
Hartlepool Art Gallery, Hartlepool, UK
La Ville de Fessenheim, France
La Neomudejar de Atocha Centro de Artes, Madrid, Spain
MAGI’900 Museo, Bologna, Italy
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Brest, Brest, France
Musée d’Art Urbain et du StreetArt (MAUSA), Neuf-Brisach, France
Political Science Department, Galway University, Eire
Politics Department, Bristol University, UK
Ration Shed Museum, Queensland, Australia
Thomas Chatterton Society, Bristol, UK
UK Pituitary Foundation, Bristol, UK
BOOKS
Cris
Laurent Gaudé / Les Ateliers d’ACTES SUD, France
Street Art Europe & Graffiti
Éditions Gallimard, France
Tour Paris 13
Albin Michel / Galerie Itinerrance, France
The Party Is Over
Brugier-Rigail / Raison d’Art, France
Occupy Comics
Black Mask, 2014, US
The Art Album: Art on Dekz
2013, US
Vitry Ville Street Art
Critères Éditions, 2013, France
Crimes of Mind
Critères Éditions, 2013, France
Upfest
Tangent Books, 2012, UK
Guy Denning, Dante’s Inferno
MAGI900, 2011, Italy
MEDIA
2021
Graffiti Art Magazine, December, France
France 3, June, France
l’Alsace, June, France
2020
France 3, October, France
2019
Ouest-France, June, France
2018
ABC News interview, November, Australia
Ouest-France, November, France
METRO, July, UK
France.TV (Culture Box), July, France
l’Alsace, July, France
Le Télégramme, June, France
2017
WideWalls, December
STUART Street Art Magazine, February, France
2016
WideWalls, November
Ouest-France, March, France
2015
Ouest-France, October, France
Le Télégramme, August, France
Le Télégramme, March, France
FRANCE 24 TV interview, France
2014
L’Itinérant, May, France
Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, February, Germany
Miroir de l’Art, February, France
TIME Magazine, “The Cat Show”, January, US
2013
Le Monde online, Tour Paris 13 project, October, France
The Guardian online, Tour Paris 13 project, October, UK
Rooms Magazine, Ray Richardson and Guy Denning, October, UK
Ouest-France, July, France
BBC NorthWest, Sand, Sea and Spray feature, June, UK
Le Ring TV programme, TV France Ô, May, France
dialoguetalk.org, edited audio interview, April, US
Miroir de l’Art, March, France
Le Télégramme, March, France
2012
The Independent online, “Paradiso” show feature, October, UK
Graffiti All Stars, July, France
DAZED Digital, “We Are All Prostitutes” show feature, January, UK
2011
20 Minutos, feature on Occupy protest drawings, November, Spain
Le Télégramme, September, France
BFM TV interview, September, France
Ouest-France, April, France
Hi-Fructose Magazine, interview with Lauren Quinn, January, US
2010
Le Télégramme, August, France
The Independent online, “Behemoth” show feature, August, UK
The Village Voice, June, US
2009
Art Street Journal, August, US
Art of England, April, UK
Juxtapoz, “Ad-Nausea” show feature, March, US
Art of England, March, UK
Bath Chronicle, February, UK
Geometer Magazine, January, UK
2008
BBC online, Urban Art Awards, December, UK
The Guardian online, Vyner Street show, December, UK
The Independent online, Urban Art auction feature, December, UK
Morning Star, February, UK
2007
Le Poher, December, France
2005
Venue Magazine, January, UK
2004
Bristol Evening Post, February, UK
2003
Out of Hand, March, UK
2002
BBC online, September, UK
1994
Somerset Guardian, December, UK
