FORBES

Stephen Forbes is an Irish artist born in 1973. Trained at Liverpool John Moores University and the esteemed Royal Academy Schools in London, Stephen Forbes has emerged as a distinctive voice in contemporary painting. His work explores the choreography of crowds and everyday scenes infused with a compelling sense of movement.

Forbes draws inspiration from human interaction — skating rinks, public pools, busy streets — translating these moments into richly textured canvases through a masterful use of impasto. His vibrant palette contrasts with minimal backgrounds, creating a striking dialogue between human presence and spatial abstraction.

His paintings have been exhibited at leading institutions including the Royal Academy of Arts (London), the Royal Hibernian Academy (Dublin), and the Royal Ulster Academy (Belfast). His work is held in numerous private and public collections, including those of Deutsche Bank, Allied Irish Bank, and Queen’s University Belfast.

Now represented by prominent galleries in Ireland and the UK, Stephen Forbes continues to captivate audiences with a body of work that suspends the bustle of daily life in vivid, contemplative stillness.