Helter Skelter, Norfolk, 2023

Richard Heeps   Emerging artists

Richard Heeps b. Cambridge, UK, 1965.

Richard Heeps' seductive, highly saturated colours and sophisticated pictorial structures demonstrate a true love for his subject matter – be it cool, descriptive interiors, still life or landscape. His distinctive style pushes the limits of lens-based photography without the need for digital manipulation. He has exhibited widely in museums and galleries. He has four books and has contributed and featured in many high profile publications.

In 2007 Richard along with photographer Natasha Heidler founded Bleach Box Photography Gallery, a platform that participates in worldwide art fairs. The aim is to show powerful images created without digital manipulation. Working with artists, they produce their work from negative in their Cambridge based darkrooms. They source the best materials to produce high-end fine art pieces, and their artworks are now part of many international collections.

Although I was brought up in East Anglia, I was heavily influenced by America, I visited American bases, I kept magazine cuttings and I followed drag racing. The speed, lifestyle and technicolour is reflected in my imagery. "American" colour is a major aspect to my work, it drives my equipment and material choices. 

At the age of ten I began participating in Art Shows and became comfortable with showing my work and the praise and criticism which is part of an artist's development. In my early paintings Manhattan was a reoccurring theme, I was fascinated with New York.

In my professional career I have been lucky enough to exhibit my work in Museums and Public Galleries since the 1980's. These days I travel exhibiting at International Art Fairs and I still enjoy connecting with my audience, I am driven to create something and see how people respond to it and how they connect to it.

Education

• 1988-1991, BA Hons. Photography Film and Animation, West Surrey College of Art and Design, Farnham

• 1986-1988, BTec Photography, Mid Cheshire College of Art and Design, Northwich

• 1981-1984, Cambridge University Engineering Department, Apprenticeship in mechanical engineering

Exhibition & Art Fair List (edited list from thirty years back catalogue)

• 'A Short History of Milan', 2019 a special project at Affordable Art Fair Milan.

• 'WEMEN', 2018-2019 at Nhow Hotel Milano.

• Royal Academy 250th Summer Exhibition 2018 – The South Sackler Wing

• Affordable Art Fair 2018 NYC, Hampstead & Hong Kong Presented by Tag Fine Arts

• 'Eclectic Collections' at 45 Park Lane presented by Tag Fine Arts & Ackerman Studios.

• 'Memory Box' – Moniker International Art Fair 2017

• MIA – The International Photography & Moving Image Art Fair, Milan 

- 2017, Telling Stories

- 2016, Bleach Box Photography Gallery presents a Thirty-Year Retrospective of Richard Heeps

• Photoville, Brooklyn, NY 2016

- Bleach Box Photography Gallery presented the Heidler & Heeps Vinyl Store

• Richard Heeps Art Trail, Cambridge 2016 a Thirty-Year Retrospective of Richard Heeps

• Goodwin Gallery, Hamburg 2016 a Thirty-Year Retrospective of Richard Heeps

• Affordable Art Fair 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 Milan, New York, Hampstead, Stockholm, Battersea, Hamburg & Amsterdam presented by Bleach Box Photography Gallery

• Lille Art UP! 2015

• Affordable Art Fair 2017, 2014 Hong Kong, Singapore.

• 'Man's Ruin' 2008-present, touring exhibition including The Spitz Gallery, The Photographers Lounge, Stockton Hall Museum, Norwich Arts Centre, The Lighthouse Gallery, 20-21 Visual Arts Centre, Rochester Art Gallery

• 'Stranger than Fiction' 2012, Cube Gallery, London

• 'New Lantern' 2009, The Lighthouse Gallery, Wolverhampton

• 'Rolled Out' 2008, 20-21 Visual Arts Centre, Scunthorpe 

• 'Different Light' 2004, The Civic Centre, Thurrock

• '36 Minutes in Cambridgeshire' 2000, The Babylon Gallery, Ely

• 'View of the Fens from the Car with Wings' 1995, Norwich Arts Centre, Chatteris Museum

• 'Instant Pictures' 1992, Kettles Yard, Cambridge

• 'Ordinary Places' 1989, The Photographers Gallery London, Cambridge Darkroom Gallery

Publications Include

• 'Man's Ruin' 2007, Published by Richard Heeps with the support of Arts Council England. 

• 'Rolled Out' 2007, Published by Richard Heeps with support of BBM and Arts & Business. 

• 'FAST: Feasting on the streets of London' 2006, Commissioned by the ICA and published by Portobello Books with text by Kevin Jackson.

• 'Thurrock: “A Different Light"' 2005, Commissioned by Arts Generate. 

Find this artist and many more in our collection of works by Celebrity Photographers