David Lock’s paintings utilise a collagist approach. In the process of creating his ‘Misfit’ paintings, he makes collages culled from advertisements and imagery from mainstream media. In their making, the collages and subsequent paintings have a performative quality in that they draw upon masculinities as a multifaceted, fluid and ever-changing process.

Lock is investigating how to create a multitude of subject positions, upon which signifiers are free to float, shifting identification from one fragment to another. His paintings resist a single reading or viewpoint, instead any reading of the portrait is unmoored, fluid and contingent. A sense of vulnerability is reinforced by the paintings being composed from collaged elements.

Lock’s motivations for the use of the male, exposes an underlying uncertainty about the male’s status in contemporary culture and the role he should fulfill within it.

David Lock lives and works in Belfast and London. He graduated from Goldsmiths, London with an MA in Fine Art in 2001, following a first class BA (Hons) in Fine Art from The University of Reading in 1999. Upon graduation he joined Candoco Dance Company as a dancer for several years, before returning to his fine art practice in 2005. He has exhibited his work both nationally and internationally.

Lock was a prizewinner in the ‘Creekside Open’ 2019, selected by Sacha Craddock at APT Gallery, London.

In 2018, Lock had a solo show ‘Fragmented Eros’ at studio 1.1, London where he presented a new body of work.

The same year, his painting ‘El Muniria’ was selected for the ‘John Moores Painting Prize’, after which the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool acquired the painting for its permanent collection. His work is in many collections including Soho House.

Commissions include designing a geometric stage set in ‘Set and Reset/Reset’ for Candoco’s 20th anniversary season in 2011, in association with Trisha Brown Dance Company. Revived in Candoco’s repertoire between 2016 and 2023.

Lock is a recipient of the prestigious Abbey award at the British School at Rome between October 2011-June 2012.

In 2021, he curated the exhibition ‘Burra and Friends’ at Rye Art Gallery which showcased the work of Edward Burra and his contemporaries, together with contemporary queer artists.

His most recent commission in 2022, was for the arts charity Hospital Rooms.

In March 2024, Lock presented existing work and new paintings in ‘David Lock: In-between Us’ at Firstsite, Colchester. His first solo public exhibition.