Last updated: 28 October 2026
Abigail McGinley is the London artist and Slade graduate who paints moody, sensual figures in oil on raw, unprimed linen. Here you will find our take on her work, where Abigail McGinley has shown recently, how to buy her paintings, and her small painting in this year’s War Child auction.
Our take on Abigail McGinley
McGinley paints the body as something felt rather than described. Her figures, interiors and landscapes are built in stained, sunken colour on unprimed linen, so the paint soaks in rather than sitting on top. Touch has driven the work from the start. “I’m interested in conveying the intimacy of touch through the bodily medium of oil paint, in fact it’s a driving force of the work,” she told The Wick in 2021.
Her War Child piece, Our Lady of Steel, is almost monochrome. A woman with long, heavy hair turns in profile against a near-black ground. Her skin has the cold blue sheen of polished metal, and a small burst of warm light flares just above her head, like a halo or a camera flash. The weave of the linen shows through everywhere, which suits the title.
She is still early in her career, having left the Slade in 2022. Even so, she has shown three times at Soho Revue since late 2025, alongside a duo show at the Florence Trust. Her advice to other artists is simple: “Make work that excites you, genuinely excites you,” she said in the same interview. For a first purchase, a postcard-sized lot like this is a sensible way in.
Abigail McGinley: the essentials
- Born in Nottingham in 1999; lives and works in London, according to Gillian Jason Gallery and The Wick.
- Took a foundation diploma at Nottingham College, then a BA at the Slade School of Fine Art, London, from 2018 to 2022.
- Paints on unprimed linen and collages her sources from her own video footage, film stills, stock photography and printed media, according to her War Child lot notes.
- Has named Edvard Munch and Francesco Clemente as influences, and the painters Luke Hannam and Alastair Mackinven as mentors.
- Showed in group shows at Gillian Jason Gallery, London, in 2022 and 2023, and had a solo show, I see you, Do you see me?, at LKIF Gallery, Seoul, in 2024.
- Listed among the exhibited artists at Soho Revue, London.
Where to see Abigail McGinley now
- Coming up: Sound & Vision 2026, a War Child charity auction online from 27 October to 12 November 2026, with the works on view at Iconic Images Gallery, London, 6 to 8 November. The piece is Our Lady of Steel (2026), oil on linen on wooden panel, 15 x 21 cm (5.9 x 8.3 in), lot page.
- Horse Girl (group), Soho Revue, London, 10 June to 31 July 2026.
- Behind the Curtains (group), Soho Revue, London, 14 January to 28 February 2026.
- A boy falling out of the sky (group), Soho Revue, London, 7 November to 20 December 2025.
How to buy an Abigail McGinley painting
There are no Abigail McGinley prints or editions on sale. Her paintings sell through the galleries that show her:
- Our Lady of Steel, 2026: a small oil on linen on wooden panel in the War Child Sound & Vision auction, bidding from £100 until 12 November 2026 (bid here).
- Paintings: by enquiry through Gillian Jason Gallery or Soho Revue, price on request.
Abigail McGinley FAQs
Where did Abigail McGinley study?
She took a foundation diploma at Nottingham College and graduated from the Slade School of Fine Art in London in 2022.
What does Abigail McGinley paint?
Figures, interiors and landscapes centred on the body, in oil on unprimed linen, with a dark, sedimented palette.
Can I buy an Abigail McGinley print?
Not at the moment. There are no prints or editions; her paintings sell through galleries on request.
Where can I see her work in London?
Her War Child piece, Our Lady of Steel, is on view at Iconic Images Gallery from 6 to 8 November 2026.
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- Best affordable art in the UK: prints and originals under £500.
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Main image: Abigail McGinley in her studio, 2021. Courtesy the artist, via The Wick. Cropped and framed by CoolCuration. Exhibition dates, prices, auction results and market figures last checked: 28 October 2026.
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