John Kirby (artist)

Kirby trained at Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art in London. He has created a large body of work that includes both painting and sculpture and has cited his religious background as a strong influence, as well as the “ambiguity of sex and gender” in his work. Kirby’s first major retrospective was held at the Walker Art Gallery in 2012, with more than fifty of his paintings and several of his sculptures. His work has been described as “bleak and lonely” and dominated by “solitary figures in strange worlds.”

Kirby's "Self Portrait 1987" is seen on-screen, and referenced by the character Armand Goldman (Robin Williams) in the 1996 film The Birdcage. In an early scene, Armand defends the fine art to his son, Val (Dan Futterman), who requests his father tone down the décor exclaiming "The Kirby? That's art!"

John Kirby (born 1949 in Liverpool, England) is a British artist known for his paintings exploring issues of gender, religion, sexuality, and race. His work has been compared to that of René Magritte, Balthus and Edward Hopper. Kirby has exhibited internationally and his work is held in several collections including the Tate Gallery, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the Royal College of Art.

John Kirby was born in Liverpool in 1949 and grew up in Tuebrook. He was raised Irish Catholic and attended Saint Cecilia’s primary school as well as serving as an altar boy. When he was 16, Kirby left Liverpool to work in London as a shipping clerk and then traveled to Calcutta to help in a children’s home headed by Mother Teresa. After moving back to Liverpool, he trained as a social worker and then worked as a probation officer before enrolling in art school at the age of 33.