Artworks by Toby Michael

Toby Michael (b. 1996) is an Award Winning figurative painter, working from his studio in Oxford. Since graduating from Winchester School of Art in 2018, he has been working as a professional artist, completing portrait commissions and large scale narrative paintings for an international collector base.

His practice is socially engaged and aims to explore the space between biological fundamentalism and social constructivism in relation to personal and group identities, with a focus on class, race, gender and nationality. He explores these themes through visual storytelling, striving to present narratives that engage with identity and offer a positive vision for the future.

His work aims to acknowledge and empathise with the collective harm experienced by various groups, while conveying that an individual is not solely defined by the sum of their group identities (intersectionality). His objective is to inspire individuals to take responsibility for their own lives in the face of injustice and create works that are relatable, empathetic and actionable.