London

Bruce Clarke
Born in 1959 in London, UK. Lives and works in Paris, France
Born in the UK, Bruce Clarke’s parents are white South African political exiles that left the country in 1958. His youth was filled with visits from anti-apartheid militants and human rights activists; it goes without saying, he joined the cause. Clarke sees his work as stimulating reflection on the world and the representations therein. Recognising that art provides a privileged domain of expression in a complex world, he situates himself outside of an overtly egocentric or revealing form of contemporary art-making, suggesting that one should not be a bystander in the face of history, but that individual activity can play a significant role in the making of that history. His art posits contemporary history against the writing and transmission of accounted history. As an activist in the anti-apartheid struggle, Clarke has always tried to integrate political commitment into his visual art research, placing his work in a current of critical thought.
'With propaganda', 2012. Watercolour and collage on paper. 33 x 34 cm / 13 x 13.36 in. Courtesy of the artist and ARTCO Gallery