Last updated: 28 October 2026
David Harrison is the London artist whose paintings fill the city’s edges with fairies, saints, foxes and folklore. Here you will find our take on his work, where to see David Harrison now, the monograph you can buy, and his two small paintings in this year’s War Child auction.
Our take on David Harrison
Harrison paints an England where nature and magic push back against the city. Saints bless the wildlife beside motorways, flower fairies glower from the hedgerows, and hares dance under a full moon. Much of it starts in east London. “I grew up right by Wanstead Flats,” he told Time Out in 2015, in an interview the Victoria Miro site reproduces.
His two War Child panels feel darker than usual. War Child I is a rust-red city of tower blocks with tiny lit windows under a dull red sun. A pale, mask-like face floats near the bottom, and small flames flicker around it. In War Child II, grey towers stand under a red crescent moon and a blazing red sun. Below, a white poodle with a red collar sits calmly among little fires.
He likes his senses busy. “I’ve always been obsessed by smells,” he said in the same interview, describing a perfume he made from his garden for his 2015 show. Victoria Miro has shown his work since 2005, and these two panels start at just £100, so they are a rare low-cost way to own one.
David Harrison: the essentials
- Born in 1954 in London’s post-war East End, and still lives and works in London, according to Victoria Miro.
- Paints mainly in oil on wood, card and cardboard, and also makes sculptures from Sellotape and objects found around the city.
- Represented by Victoria Miro, London, which has shown him in 2005, 2009, 2010 and 2015. Flowers of Evil (2015) was his third solo show there.
- Has shown at the Whitechapel Gallery (2004 and 2006), the Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art in Sunderland, Vilma Gold and TRAMPS in London, and Sargent’s Daughters in New York.
- His monograph (Philip Wilson, 2009) includes an interview with the painter Peter Doig and a foreword by the architectural historian Lucinda Lambton.
Where to see David Harrison 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 pieces are War Child I (2026), oil on wood, 15 x 21 cm (5.9 x 8.3 in), lot page, and War Child II (2026), oil on wood, 15 x 21 cm (5.9 x 8.3 in), lot page.
- Common Ground (group, curated by Ben Edge), The Wilson, Cheltenham, 21 February to 31 August 2025, according to Victoria Miro.
- Dog Show (group, with Lucian Freud, David Shrigley and others), Southwark Park Galleries, London, 18 July to 8 September 2019, according to Victoria Miro.
- Flowers of Evil (solo), Victoria Miro, London, 14 November to 18 December 2015.
How to buy a David Harrison painting or book
There are no David Harrison prints on sale, but you can buy his book, and two small paintings are in a charity auction:
- David Harrison (Philip Wilson, 2009): the hardback monograph, 270 x 217 mm, £14.99 (RRP £31) from Postscript Books.
- War Child I, 2026: a small oil on wood in the War Child Sound & Vision auction, bidding from £100 until 12 November 2026 (bid here).
- War Child II, 2026: a small oil on wood in the same auction, bidding from £100 until 12 November 2026 (bid here).
- Paintings: through Victoria Miro, price on request.
David Harrison FAQs
Which gallery represents David Harrison?
Victoria Miro, London, which has exhibited his work since 2005.
What does David Harrison paint?
Visionary scenes of English nature and folklore, often set at the edges of the city, with saints, fairies, animals and figures from myth and politics.
Is there a book on David Harrison?
Yes. His 2009 monograph from Philip Wilson includes an interview with Peter Doig. Postscript Books sells it for £14.99.
Where can I see his work in London?
His two War Child panels are on view at Iconic Images Gallery from 6 to 8 November 2026.
More from CoolCuration
- Frieze London guide: how to do the big London art fair.
- British Art Fair review: modern British art at the Saatchi Gallery.
- Art on a Postcard: another charity art sale where small works by big names go for less.
- Gifts for artists: our edit of presents for people who make things.
Think we’re missing something, got something wrong, or want to be featured? Contact us.
Main image: David Harrison, St Francis of the Motorway (Saints & Sinners), 2012. © David Harrison, courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro. Cropped and framed by CoolCuration. Exhibition dates, prices, auction results and market figures last checked: 28 October 2026.
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