Merging figurative and abstract imagery with themes of playfulness and the whimsical, Alice Irwin's artistic practice is a vibrant exploration of evolution and identity - especially in relation to the transition between childhood and adulthood. Her distinctive visual style combines simplified body shapes, recurring symbols, and bright colors to create a rich tapestry of meaning. Childhood experiences, games, and memories are central to Irwin’s work, capturing both the innocence and complexity of youth. Irwin invites audiences from diverse backgrounds to engage with her art, evoking a spectrum of emotions that range from joyous and comical to introspective and thought-provoking.

The concept of playground is paramount in Irwin’s artistic investigation, serving as a metaphorical space to examine memories, social skills, imagination, and the psychological dynamics rooted in childhood. Irwin invites viewers to pause, reflect, and reconnect with their own histories, creating spaces where nostalgia and contemplation converge. Recurring motifs like ladders - as evident in ‘Big Cook’ and ‘Little Cook’ - symbolise growth and metamorphosis, exploring childhood games such as ‘Snakes and Ladders’ to underscore themes of personal and collective advancement. “I frequently draw on archetypal and mythological imagery, reinterpreting these ideas to explore human transformation and identity. My works often feature hybrid creatures or symbolic figures that suggest a metamorphic state, inviting the viewer to question the boundaries between the human and the otherworldly.”

Surrealism plays a significant role in Irwin’s practice, influencing her exploration of dreamscapes and escapism. Irwin conceives of her work as a tool for viewers to step out from the fast-paced world, offering a pause in time. The ethereal quality of her pieces allows Irwin’s audience to briefly detach from reality and immerse themselves in a contemplative experience. The artist’s work merges memories and dreams, reflecting a tension between reality and imagination. Like the Surrealists before her, Irwin delves into realms that lie beyond rational understanding, with her use of playful yet unsettling figures and forms inviting viewers to explore deeper layers of meaning beneath the surface.

Irwin's engagement with mythology, femininity, and transformation adds depth to her practice. By blending familiar imagery with surreal elements, the artist creates compositions that feel both intimate and bizarre. Her art resonates with the universal experiences of growth and identity, exploring how memories of play and naivety shape our understanding of the Self.

Alice Irwin (b.1994, UK) 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 solo 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.