Artifical Gallery

Adam Neate was born in Ipswich, Suffolk. In 1977.

After graduating in Design at Suffolk College, he then moved to London and took a job as a graphic designer in an advertising agency.

He also took up painting and using aerosols and found objects, he painted on cardboard boxes, which he collected from the street, avoiding the use of canvas because of its cost. His work can have two and three-dimensional qualities, as he tears the material, builds it in layers and staples pieces together, mainly making figurative images, which include self-portraits and portraits of friends.

He gave away works to friends, but built up an excess and left them wrapped in bin liners outside charity shops as a donation. When he discovered that they were not being sold, but thrown out with the rubbish, he started to leave them in the streets instead, with works leaning on lampposts, doors and wheelie bins, as an open exhibition. He could produce around 20 paintings a night, and around 1,000 a year. Over a five year period, he left thousands of his works in London streets.

He had kept away from galleries, but was contacted by Elms Lesters, who wanted to show his work. Neate took up the invitation, but decided to do different work from his street art and develop other techniques and styles. In August 2007, at Elms Lesters Painting Rooms in London, he had a solo show, which sold out within hours of opening. Following this he was able to give up his job. In December 2007, his painting Suicide Bomber sold for £78,500 at Sotheby's.

He cites his influences as his wife, Waleska, New York graffiti artist, Daze, and Picasso. He is a pioneer of a radical new movement, which shows street art in conventional art galleries. His work has gained recognition from the National Gallery, the Tate, and the National Portrait Gallery.