Art Movements of 2000s: Stuckism

Stuckism is an international art movement that was founded in 1999 by Billy Childish and Charles Thomson to promote figurative painting techniques in opposition to conceptual art. The first group of thirteen British artists has since expanded, as of May 2010, to 209 groups in 48 countries.

The Stuckists have staged shows and gained media attention for outspoken comments and demonstrations, particularly outside Tate Britain against the Turner Prize, sometimes dressed in clown costumes. They have also stated their opposition to the Charles Saatchi-patronised Young British Artists. After exhibiting mainly in small galleries in Shoreditch, London, they were given their first show in a major public museum in 2004, the Walker Art painting techniques Gallery, as part of the Liverpool Biennial.

Other campaigns mounted by the group include official avenues, such as standing in the 2001 general election, reporting Saatchi to the Office of Fair Trading to complain about his power in the art world (the complaint was not upheld), and applying under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for Tate Gallery trustee minutes, which started a media scandal about the purchase of Chris Ofili’s work, The Upper Room and led to an official rebuke of the Tate by the Charity Commission.