Laurence Fuller’s cinematic poetry meets John Kirby’s poised, unsettling tableaux of figurative paintings ~ doll-like figures in ritual poses. The collaboration frames Kirby’s emblematic ambiguities of faith and belonging as staged “scenes” into which Fuller threads voice, movement, and mythic storytelling. As portraits that talk back to the viewer, the future unfolds.
Laurence spoke with John in depth about this collaboration before his recent passing, they talked about philosophy, art and life for hours between Liverpool and Los Angeles. Introduced by the art dealer Matthew Flowers.
John Kirby ~ bio
John Kirby (Liverpool, 1949–2025) was a British painter known for psychologically charged figurative works that probe questions of religion, sexuality, gender, and social ritual. Trained at Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art, he exhibited internationally with Flowers Gallery; his 2012 retrospective The Living and the Dead was held at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. Kirby’s restrained, lucid style—often compared to Balthus and Hopper—centers solitary figures and staged interiors, balancing tenderness with unease; his work is represented in collections including Tate and the V&A.
Laurence Fuller ~ bio
Laurence Fuller (b. 1987) is a British-Australian actor, poet, and multimedia artist whose work bridges Romanticism and contemporary technology. Trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, he has appeared in films and television including Minx (HBO), Road to the Well, and Apostle Peter & The Last Supper. As a pioneer of “cinematic poetry,” Fuller combines spoken word with AI-driven visual art, exhibiting internationally at the National Museum of Art in Rome, Museum Angewandte Kunst Frankfurt, and Art Basel Miami. His practice explores myth, memory, spirituality and imagination, carrying forward the humanist and aesthetic legacy of his father, art critic Peter Fuller.
