Louise Clarke

Louise Clarke is a Senior Lecturer in Fine Art at De Montfort University (DMU), affiliated with the School of Humanities and Performing Arts within the Faculty of Arts, Design and Humanities. She is a practicing artist, curator, and writer with a strong international presence in contemporary art and education.

Education:

• MA Fine Art: Printmaking, Royal College of Art, London (1st Class)
• BA Fine Art and PhotoMedia, Central St Martins, London

Louise's research and artistic practice centers on printmaking and drawing as dynamic platforms for exploring utopia, the primal landscape, and the concept of 'xenotopia'—strange, out-of-place, or subconscious spaces. Her work interrogates the psychological and cultural dimensions of space, architecture, and nature’s 'feral' resurgence. She is a passionate advocate for drawing as a universal language and tool for learning and communication.

Her curatorial projects, such as the acclaimed :Xenotopia exhibition, engage with fictitious and imagined geographies through the expanded field of print. Though no formal academic articles are listed, her body of work reflects a consistent thematic focus on psycho-geographic ambiguity, architectural fantasy, and the role of drawing in art and education.

Scientific and Professional Honors:

• Elephant Trust – Production Grant (2004)
• Stanley Picker Fellow: Printmaking (1999–2000)
• Printmaking Fellow – RCA, London (1999–2000)
• Printmaking Fellow – Gloucester University (1999–2000)
• Basil Alkazzi Research Travel Award (1998)
• Aylesford Newsprint Company – Selected Prize (1997)
• Faulkner Fine Art Prize (1996)

Louise has significant experience in academic and artistic mentorship, having judged international competitions such as the Saatchi Showdown: Drawing and Art Open at the Gibberd Gallery. She has collaborated with institutions like the British Museum, the V&A, and English Heritage on public art and educational initiatives. She co-curates events through The Big Draw campaign and has led drawing symposia globally with support from the British Council. Currently, she is developing a publication and a new drawing-based exhibition expanding on :Xenotopia.

Labs and Research Groups:

She is affiliated with the Fine Art Practice Group at DMU, which supports interdisciplinary research in visual art practice, curation, and pedagogy.