Doug Fishbone

Doug Fishbone is an American artist living and working in London who serves as a Visiting Lecturer at University of Westminster, MA Advisor at Chelsea College of Art, and holds teaching positions at London College of Communication, Arts University Bournemouth, and Middlesex University. He is the Course Leader on the Graduate Diploma in Fine Art at Chelsea College of Art and Design and founder of the Master Class series at the Zabludowicz Collection.

Fishbone earned his BA from Amherst College (1991) and MA in Fine Art from Goldsmiths College, London (2003). He has been described by critics as a 'stand-up conceptual artist' due to his unique fusion of performance art and conceptual frameworks that examine problematic aspects of contemporary life through humorous approaches.

His research focuses on questions of relativity and perception, consumer culture, financial systems, historical memory, and the relationship between image and text. Fishbone's work consistently employs popular forms in unexpected ways to deliver incisive social commentary on contemporary Western life's absurdities, particularly regarding financial systems and environmental issues. He examines how audience and context influence interpretation, often using strategies of advertising and propaganda to explore serious subjects through humor.

Fishbone's significant projects demonstrate thematic evolution from early explorations of cultural identity to more recent examinations of cancel culture, anti-Semitism, and economic systems. His work shows consistent interest in how art can intervene in public discourse, challenge established narratives, and question perceptions of authenticity and value.

• Samsung Art+ Prize Public Vote Award (2012)
• Sovereign European Art Award Public Vote Award (2008)
• Szpilman Award (2007)
• Beck's Futures Student Film and Video Award (2004)
• Multiple Arts Council England Grants

As an educator, Fishbone has mentored emerging artists through his roles at Chelsea College of Art and the Zabludowicz Collection's Master Class program. He frequently serves as a guest lecturer at major art institutions including Goldsmiths College, Slade School of Art, Royal College of Art, and Oxford University. His teaching emphasizes pushing studio work forward through intensive development and critical engagement with contemporary art practices.

Fishbone maintains an active studio practice while balancing his teaching responsibilities, regularly exhibiting new work at major institutions including Tate Britain, Jewish Museum London, and international venues such as the Venice Biennale. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Yinka Shonibare Foundation, which fosters international cultural exchange.