Mick McGraw is an artist, researcher and Programme Leader of MLitt Contemporary Art Practice within the School of Fine Art.
McGraw’s creative practice research is situated in the field of interdisciplinary practice and focuses on an inter-relationship between historical interventions and adaptions of landscape, land use, memory, place and socio-political influences on people and place.
His work examines issues around territory, changing borders and conflict, refugee status and the influence broadcast media contributes to global reporting and the ethical implications of imagery. McGraw’s research is informed by critical theory on technology, broadcast media, historical analysis of land use and the infrastructure of defence and displacement of people. He combines complex political concerns with aesthetics by referencing historical and industrial interventions in land use and poses new, alternative possibilities.
His work includes print, photography, installation, sculpture, text, drawings, artist books and moving image. He is part of the research group Reading Landscape at GSA and also a long term member and contributor to LAND2, a creative practice-led research network of UK wide academics and researchers with an interest in landscape/place oriented art practice.
McGraw shows his work nationally and internationally, with exhibitions in Taoxichuan Art Museum, Jingdezhen, China (2018), Monash University, Melbourne, Australia (2011), Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Japan (2012), Hua’ian Art Museum, China (2019), Tsinghua University and Guangzhou Academy of Fine Art, China (2020), Mirror Gallery, Plymouth (2025) and Kirkcudbright Galleries, Scotland (2025) where he was awarded the prestigious first prize (£10,000) in the Lapeca Scottish Landscape Awards.
He has work in many collections including TATE Britain, V&A, University of Plymouth, Visual Arts Research Centre, Dundee, Hua’ian Art Museum, China and Art Metropole, Toronto and has been supported by artist awards and residencies in the production of work and undertaking research.
landscape and land use, warfare, media, critical theory in humanitarianism, ethics, land art and place oriented/site-specific practices.
Programme Leader for MLitt Contemporary Art Practice, Teaching and Assessment of Masters students on the 12 month programme in Fine Art. Particular interest in teaching in print media, sculpture, drawing and photography.
