ABOUT HUMPHREY

“THE IDEA LIVES IN THE FREEDOM TO SEE DIFFERENTLY.”
Mark Humphrey

Mark Humphrey is a British interdisciplinary artist who challenges the familiar. The idea comes first and the medium follows; sculpture, installation, painting and objects are simply blended disciplines through which an idea can take shape, be explored and ultimately realised.

His practice is unrestricted, spanning natural and synthetic materials to the most familiar and everyday. Nothing is too precious, too ordinary or too unconventional. From rare stone and abattoir blood to exotic skin and battlefield rubble, Humphrey embraces whatever the idea demands, alongside the processes and techniques required to create it.

The works take on different meanings and contexts, exploring the human condition and the defining topics of our time. His diverse and wide-ranging works are connected by the same impulse: to see differently. Humphrey is questioning what we think we understand, looking deeper and revealing surprising connections.

Humphrey designs and makes original artwork by challenging what we think we know. He takes what we recognise and asks: what else could it be?

The familiar becomes a vehicle for the unexpected.

A chair may divide a nation.

A bath may bleed with the history of war.

A portrait may turn trauma into triumph.

A set of handbags may expose the pressures of gender inequality.

A staircase may become a monument to achievement.

A pair of taps may explore access to education.

A sushi bar may confront the changing climate.

A table may expose the divide between abundance and hunger.

A set of doors may confront sex trafficking and abuse.

A pair of screens may challenge racism.

A collection of military helmets may embody comradeship and remembrance.

A ceiling may question our pursuit of material wealth.

A pavilion may confront the consequences of global warming.

A façade may reveal the architecture of social status.

A statue may question how we value healthcare.

A basin may become a metaphor for love and separation.

A sculpture may inspire sports performance.

A shower may open the door to religious divisions.

“YOU ARE A GENTLEMAN AND YOUR WORKS ARE WOW!”
Ringo Starr

Final Encore, 2011-2012

Explore Humphrey’s Tapestry Of Ideas, 1996-2026. An ever-growing montage, that is a visual ‘ticker-tape’ timeline of his sketchbook pages, currently spanning over 100 metres.

Tapestry Of Ideas, 1996-2026

Discover some of the people; clients, collectors, collaborators and organisations who have shared in Humphrey’s journey.

  • A Apple Records (The Beatles) 
  • B British Armed Forces
  • C Canary Wharf Group
  • D Dunhill
  • E
  • F Fendi
  • G Grosvenor Estate
  • H Harrods
  • I Italian Cultural Institute
  • J Jumeirah
  • K Kenzo
  • L Louis Vuitton
  • M Mayor of London
  • N National Maritime Museum 
  • O Osborne Samuel Gallery
  • P Prostate Cancer UK
  • Q Quintessentially Concierge 
  • R Ringo Starr
  • S Sunseeker
  • T Team GB
  • U UK Government
  • V Vitra
  • W Women For Women International
  • X
  • Y Yoo
  • Z Zoffany
Click to open full list
  • A 
    • ABF The Soldiers Charity
    • Allianz
    • Andrew Lloyd Webber
    • American Express
    • Apple Records (The Beatles) 
    • Arcelor Mittal
    • Artichoke Arts
    • Asia Standard
    • Aston Martin
    • Audi
  • B 
    • BAE Systems
    • BBC
    • Bentley
    • Blackburn Town Council
    • British Armed Forces
    • British Army
    • British Embassy Moscow
    • Buckled Records
  • C 
    • Canary Wharf Group
    • Cardiff City Council
    • CBRE Group
    • Chartwell (Sir Winston Churchill)
    • Chase Erwin
    • Chief of Defence People (MoD)
    • Churches Conservation Trust
    • City Planning Astana
    • Claudia Schiffer
    • Combat Stress
    • Commonwealth War Graves Commission
    • Corps of Royal Engineers
    • CP Hart
  • D
    • Decorex International
    • Dent London (Big Ben)
    • Design Centre London
    • Design Museum
    • Design School of Kazakhstan
    • Detail Design School
    • Dover Town Council
    • Dunhill
    • Dymov Ceramics
  • E
  • F 
    • Fendi
    • FIFA (Dent Clocks)
    • Football Association
    • Fort Burgoyne (The Land Trust)
    • Four Seasons Hotels
  • G 
    • George Harrison
    • Glasgow City Council
    • Greater London Authority
    • Grosvenor Estate
    • Guards Polo Club
  • H 
    • Halyk Bank
    • Harrods
    • Hatfield Park (Lord and Lady Salisbury)
    • Henry Bertrand
    • Hyde Yachts
  • I 
    • Italian Cultural Institute
    • Ivory Coast Embassy London
  • J 
    • John Lewis Partnership
    • Jumeirah
  • K 
    • Kenzo
    • KLC School of Design
    • Knight Frank
    • KPMG
    • Kuretake Pens
  • L 
    • Lacoste
    • Land Securities Group
    • Lawn Tennis Association
    • Leeds Castle
    • Louis Vuitton
    • LVHM
  • M 
    • Mayfair Hospitality Group
    • Mayor of London
    • Michael Schumacher
    • Mid Kent College (Holdfast)
    • Moroso
    • Movenpick 
  • N 
    • National Memorial Arboretum
    • National Maritime Museum
    • National Museum Astana
    • National Trust
    • Natural History Museum
    • Newcastle City Council
    • Nexpo Global
    • Nick Beighton
    • Norton Motorcycles 
  • O 
    • Osborne Samuel Gallery
  • P 
    • Paddle UK
    • Pampaloni
    • Paralympic GB (Paralympic Canoe Team)
    • Park Lane Group
    • Paul Smith
    • PDP London
    • Perspex
    • Peter Eyre
    • Poggenpoghl Kitchens
    • Poliform
    • Portmeirion Pottery
    • Premier League
    • Princess Pemberton
    • Private Collectors
    • Prostate Cancer UK
  • Q 
    • Quintessentially Concierge 
  • R 
    • Ralph Lauren
    • Revo (UK Shopping Centres)
    • Ringo Starr
    • Rolling Stones
    • Rolls Royce Cars
    • Rossana Kitchens
    • Royal Air Force
    • Royal Air Force Association
    • Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund
    • Royal Air Force Charitable Trust
    • Royal Air Force Museum
    • Royal Armouries Museum
    • Royal British Legion Industries
    • Royal Engineers Museum
    • Royal Navy
    • Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity
    • Royal Wootton Bassett Academy
    • Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council
  • S 
    • Sean Fitzpatrick
    • Shizaru Gallery
    • Steven Gerrard
    • Stoll
    • Seguso Glassware
    • Sunseeker
  • T 
    • Tag Heuer
    • Team GB (Olympic Canoe Team)
    • The British Museum
    • The Not Forgotten Association
    • The Other Palace
    • The Poppy Factory
    • The Royal British Legion
    • The Rug Company
    • Transport for London
  • U 
    • UEFA Respect
    • UK Government/Department of Culture, Media and Sport 
    • UK Government/Department of Trade and Industry
    • UK Government/Ministry of Defence
    • US Embassy London
  • V 
    • Victoria Cross Society
    • Vitra
  • W 
    • Waterfront Bathrooms
    • Welsh Government
    • Westminster City Council
    • Wiltshire County Council
    • Women For Women International
    • Wool Classics
    • Wuppertal University 
  • X
  • Y 
    • Yoo
  • Z 
    • Zimmer Rohde
    • Zoffany