Daniel Pettitt

Daniel Pettitt serves as a Lecturer in Fine Art Painting at the University of Brighton's School of Art and Media since 2024, following his Freelands Painting Fellowship at the same institution in 2022. He maintains an active presence through visiting lectureships at the Royal College of Art, Bath Spa University, Chelsea School of Art, and Oxford Brookes University.

His academic credentials include a Master of Arts from the Royal College of Art (awarded 2017) and a BA (Hons) in Fine Art from Bath Spa University (awarded 2008):

• MA: Royal College of Art (2015-2017)
• BA (Hons): Bath Spa University (2005-2008)

Pettitt's artistic practice explores allusive and speculative abstraction through a dynamic interplay of theatrical signage, modernist poetry, queer slang, and post-conceptual art. His work investigates the tension between index and fragment, constructing environments where metaphor and memory intersect. Through deliberate manipulation of color, texture, and composition, he creates provisional fields where images congeal and dissolve, challenging traditional representation while inviting active viewer participation in meaning-making. This approach reveals the fluidity of visual language and the transient nature of perception.

His extensive exhibition history (58 research outputs documented) demonstrates consistent thematic development across solo and group shows. Recent works increasingly engage with queer perspectives and cultural references while maintaining core interests in abstraction and materiality. The progression reveals deepening exploration of fragmentation, indexicality, and memory construction within contemporary painting practice, with notable institutional recognition through collections like Soho House and Paul Smith Ltd.

His scientific recognition includes:

• Freelands Painting Fellowship (2022)

Pettitt actively contributes to academic discourse through invited talks including "Why Artists Should Teach" and participation in mentorship programs like the Freelands Fellowship Mentors Roundtable. His work circulates internationally through private collections in the UK, China, Germany, Italy, Canada, and the USA, alongside institutional holdings at Bath Spa University and the Royal College of Art.

He maintains strong connections with London's contemporary art ecosystem through regular exhibitions at venues like PALFREY, Attercliffe™, and Galerie Sabine Kunst, while his university affiliation positions him within Brighton's vibrant creative community centered around CCA Brighton and the School of Art and Media.