Katrina Palmer


Katrina Palmer is a British artist and writer, living in London. She is "best known for her investigations of sculptural materiality, which often involve written compositions and site-specific recordings". Palmer has had solo exhibitions at the Henry Moore Institute, the National Gallery, and Warwick Arts Centre. In 2014, she was co-winner of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation's Award for Artists.

Early life and education

Palmer was born in London. She studied philosophy and English literature at the University of Sussex. She then worked in the publishing industry for a decade. She gained an undergraduate sculpture degree at Central Saint Martins ; and received an MA and a PhD from the Royal College of Art. In 2024 she received an honorary doctorate from the University of Sussex.

Life and work

End Matter was a multi-platform project consisting of The Loss Adjusters, a site-specific installation and audio walk around some of the Isle of Portland ; "The Quarryman's Daughters", a broadcast on BBC Radio 4; and End Matter, a book. The project "attempted to account for the systematic removal of huge quantities of stone from Portland, an island off the Dorset coast". The book End Matter is "a non-book, consisting of appendices, acknowledgements, an epilogue, an index, a map, some postscripts… all the written notes and paraphernalia that surrounds a written work, but not the actual main body text".
Palmer was the National Gallery in London's 2024 Artist in Residence.

Personal life

, she lived in London, with her husband and son.

Solo exhibitions

Publications

  • The Dark Object. Semina No. 5. London: Book Works, 2010.. Second edition of 1000 copies. Third edition, 2023; edition of 1000 copies.
  • The Fabricator's Tale. London: Book Works, 2014.. Edition of 1500 copies.
  • End Matter. London: Book Works; Artangel, 2015.. Edition of 1500 copies.
  • Black Slit. London: Book Works, 2023.. Edition of 1000 copies.
  • The Touch Report. London: Book Works, 2024.. Edition of 1000 copies.

Awards