Born in Middlesbrough in 1964, Sean Durkin is a contemporary British artist whose atmospheric paintings of northern life are instantly recognisable for their nostalgic character, textured surfaces and distinctive figures.
Sean’s artistic story has an extraordinary connection to L.S. Lowry. In 1972, when Sean was just eight years old, his father famously took a Lowry painting from Middlesbrough Art Gallery and held it to ransom as part of a protest calling for galleries to open on Sundays so working people could enjoy art. Sean remembers discovering the painting on the family mantelpiece and becoming fascinated by its atmosphere and iconic ‘matchstick’ figures – an experience that would later have a profound influence on his own work.
Today, Sean creates richly textured scenes inspired by industrial towns, streets and everyday life, combining nostalgia with warmth, humour and storytelling. Look closely at his paintings and you may also discover his trademark burglar and policeman, included as a playful reference to his remarkable family story.
Now an established and highly collectable artist with a loyal following, Sean’s work offers a wonderfully contemporary interpretation of the northern industrial landscape while retaining a character and personality entirely his own.