(b. 1992, West Midlands, UK)
Artist based in London, UK
She/Her
Cunningham’s sculptural work critically explores the irrational psychology behind the expediency and disposability of Western shopping habits. In a world of fast trends, her work interrogates the pervasive ways fashion and beauty brands manipulate consumers to embody throwaway attitudes of mass consumption to the detriment of everything else. Toying with elements of the bizarre, Cunningham creates absurd sculptural arrangements using clothing and products that adorn the body, to reframe moments of addiction and loss of control.
Solo Exhibitions
Systems at The Seams, The Stone Space Gallery, London, 18 March - 9 April, 2023
Empty Basket, AirSpace Gallery, 4 Broad Street, Stoke-on-Trent, 17 - 30 August 2020
Selected Group Exhibitions
Art of Living, Hypha Studios, 8 Dover Street, London, 8 - 28 November 2024
Take a Seat, 125 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, October 2024
Gilbert Bayes Award Show, Dora House, London, 26 February to 25 April and The Art House, Wakefield, 4 May 2024 - 1 June 2024
Designed for Life, London College of Fashion, London, 2 October 2023 – 19 January 2024
Baggage Claim, Staffordshire Street Gallery, London,17 February – 5 March 2023
Bottleneck, Hartslane Gallery, London, 9 - 11 February 2023
East London Art Prize Shortlist Exhibition, Nunnery Gallery Bow Arts Trust, London, 20 January – 19 February 2023
Tilt, Collaborative Show with Ali Glover, 310 NXRD, London, 2 - 13 September 2021
Social Fabric, 100 Shandy Street, London, 5 - 6 June 2021
ACCESS, Deptford X, London, 12 - 19 April 2021
Ways & Means, Skelf virtual project space, (online) skelf.org.uk, 22 July – 20 October 2020
Goldsmiths MFA Open Studios, 2 Deptford Church Street, London, 13 - 14 March 2020
INTER(TWINE), Supernormal Gallery, Singapore, 2 February 2018
Beyond The Camera, Pingyao International Photography Festival, China, 19 - 25 September 2015
Commissioned Sculpture
Collaboration with London Collage of Fashion x East London Art Prize:
Durational sculptural performance 'Tin Foil Ghost' for exhibition Designed for Life, 22 November – 20 December 2023
Collaboration with charity Migrant Help:
Temporary large-scale public sculpture for refugee awareness week at Southbank, London, 20-22nd June 2023
Awards
Gilbert Bayes Award, Royal Society of Sculptors, 2023
East London Art Prize Shortlist, BowArts, 2023
John Kinross Scholarship, Royal Scottish Academy, 2015
Talks
UAL Central St Martins, Artist Talk 'Empty Basket' for MA Fashion Histories & Theories, 11 October 2023
Whitechapel Gallery, 'Sophie Cunningham in conversation with Senior Lecturer in Fashion and Design for Social Change at London College of Fashion (UAL) Dr Francesco Mazzarella', 3 August 2023
V&A, Guest Speaker for 'Live Conversations: Designed to Make a Difference' 30 June 2021
Screenings
'Mementos for the Supply Chain’ at MicroActs: 13 Film screening at The Elephant Hotel, London, December 2022
Academic Appointments
Lecturer at South Essex College, UAL BA (Hons) Photography, January 2024 - Present
Associate Lecturer at UAL, Central St Martins, Foundation Diploma, September 2021 - October 2023
Visiting Tutor at Birmingham City University, BA (Hons) Photography, September 2021 - June 2023
Articles
Floorr Magazine, Issue 27, Interview by Simek Shropshire, 2021
Autre Magazine, Hyperstitious Garments: A Treatise on Sartorial Immortality, 2022
Residencies
Hospitalfield, Interdisciplinary Residency, Arbroath, Scotland, May 2018
Take a Seat Artist Residency, ha.lf X Bow Arts, London, August - October 2024
Education
Goldsmiths, University of London MFA Fine Art, 2019 - 2022
Glasgow School Of Art, BA Fine Art Photography, 2011 – 2015