Ryan Mosley (British, b. 1980) is a painter whose canvases conjure a carnivalesque world of figurative imagery. His paintings are populated by fantastical characters, from harlequins and cabaret dancers to bearded musicians and enigmatic travellers. Many of these characters recur, developing a personal mythology that blurs everyday observation with dreamlike invention.
Mosley studied at the University of Huddersfield before completing an MA in painting at the Royal College of Art in London. He graduated in 2007. Mosley has named Philip Guston, Peter Doig and Luc Tuymans as painters he admires. In his own words, his figures grew from an interest in the central protagonists of pantomimes, whose gender is unclear. Mosley is also interested in how little information a form needs to be read as a human figure. Empress Butterfly (2007) shows an insect-like creature in flat colours and strong outlines.
