The concept of the playground is paramount in Irwin's artistic exploration, serving as a metaphorical space to examine a range of memories, social skills, imagination, and the psychological impacts experienced in these sites of activity and social interaction.
Alice Irwin's work explores the relationship between figurative and abstract imagery. Her distinctive visual style combines simplified body shapes, repeating symbols and bright colours, typically pink, orange and blue. Childhood experiences, games and memories are common themes in the artist's sculpture and printmaking. The artist delves into the contrasting experiences of childhood, capturing the essence of naivety inherent in the young. Irwin aims to engage audiences from diverse backgrounds, inviting them to traverse the myriad of experiences suggested by her art, thereby igniting memories of childhood and playfulness. The impact of her work varies among viewers, designed to evoke a spectrum of emotions. Some pieces are playful, naive, and comical, while others are intended to be more introspective and thought-provoking.
The concept of the playground is paramount in Irwin's artistic exploration, serving as a metaphorical space to examine a range of memories, social skills, imagination, and the psychological impacts experienced in these sites of activity and social interaction. Irwin's work offers sensual contrasts: parts feel tactile; others create kinetic experiences in the mind.
Alice Irwin (b.1994) is an award-winning artist who graduated from the RCA in 2018. Irwin is currently contributing to the Streaky Dance commission at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in Wakefield. In 2024, Pitzhanger Manor and Gallery held Irwin's first institutional show, 'Chinwag.' Between June 2022 and December 2023, Irwin's 'Peeps' were showcased at Trinity Buoy Wharf in London, representing a pivotal moment in her artistic journey. Irwin's solo show 'People Play' was held at The Piece Hall in 2020, while in 2018 she had a solo at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. In 2017 Irwin won the Contemporary Art Trust prize.
