John O'Carroll (Cornwall, *1958) is a contemporary artist whose practice is deeply rooted in place, time, and material. Dividing his year between his studio on the Cornish coast and a winter studio in Egypt’s Western Desert, he draws inspiration from two landscapes shaped by elemental force.
For over 30 years, O’Carroll has also worked as an archaeological illustrator, meticulously recording ancient sites. This discipline of close observation and respect for the past permeates his art. He often incorporates pigments, ancient painting techniques and objects with historical resonance, allowing traces of antiquity to infuse his contemporary practice. Precious metals are a recurring element in his work, carrying ancient symbolism and interacts with his restricted colour palette to create surfaces that seem to capture and release fleeting moments of time.
His career spans decades of international recognition. O’Carroll has exhibited worldwide, including solo exhibitions with Roger Katwijk Gallery in the Netherlands and at Pan Amsterdam, as well as exhibitions at the Holly Solomon Gallery in New York and the Dutch-Flemish Institute in Cairo. He contributed to significant projects including the Colours of Oasis exhibition at the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden (2012), and the Anthropocene exhibition at Cornwall’s Eden Project. In 2005, he participated in the Alexandria International Biennial Discovering the Book, and his work has also been shown at the British Embassy and the residence of the Dutch ambassador in Cairo.
Collected by both private and corporate patrons — including Akzo Nobel, AMC, VUmc, Loyens & Loeff, Accenture, and the NCM British Headquarters in Cardiff. O’Carroll’s works offer more than visual experience; they invite contemplation. Through his practice, he continues to navigate the intersections of art, archaeology and the vast landscapes of the natural world.
