Born in 1983 to Grenadian and Haitian parents and raised between the Caribbean and New York, Barrington’s practice explores interconnected histories of cultural production. Considering himself primarily a painter, Barrington’s multimedia approach to image-making employs burlap, textiles, postcards and clothing, exploring how materials themselves can function as visual tools while referencing their personal, political and commercial histories. Barrington has explored the formal action of sewing to connect with his Grenadian aunts, who themselves were masterful sewers, and as an access point into this otherwise traditionally gendered textile art practice. His intimate compositions focus on single subjects in close-up, including faces, body parts, and tropical vegetation.
Recent solo exhibitions include Garvey: Sex Love Nurturing Famalay, Sadie Coles HQ, London (2019) and Alvaro Barrington, MoMA PS1, New York (2017).
Barrington has generously taken part in the fourth edition of School Prints, creating a limited edition print that will be donated to local schools and sold exclusively from The Hepworth Wakefield shop to fund the engagement work with schools. Of the project he said:
“Education is going through a lot of important questioning about what it needs to proceed and I believe the more voices in the conversation the better everyone will be served.”
