The first major book devoted to MacKinven (1971–2025). A deeply personal portrait of a beloved artist whose luminous paintings, subversive performances, musical obsessions, and fierce dedication to teaching left an indelible mark on a generation.

Although he died far too young, MacKinven was one of the most influential figures of his generation—an artist whose impact far exceeded his public profile. He was many things: a painter of hallucinatory canvases; a guitarist in the art-punk band Country Teasers; a writer and performer; and a devoted, much-loved teacher. Above all, he was a fiercely independent thinker who spent decades resisting convention. Drawing on a rich array of material—previously unpublished works, personal photographs, and archival documents—the book offers an unprecedented view into MacKinven’s world. With essays by those who knew him best, this is a book about an artist’s way of being: inquisitive, uncompromising, and alive to possibility.

About The Author

Peter Davies has taught at Slade School of Fine Art for more than 20 years—15 of those with MacKinven. Andrew Hunt is a curator and writer based in London and Manchester. Behrang Karimi is an Iranian-born, Germany-based artist. Emmett Kelly works in all facets of music, operating out of Gangland, USA. Anahid Nersessian is a writer and professor of English at UCLA. Maureen Paley is a long-established gallerist who was among the first to present contemporary art in London's East End. Josephine Pryde is a British artist and academic whose work explores the intersection of technology, perception, and human interaction. Lara Shahnavaz is a London-based Persian artist. She studied at the Ruskin School of Art and Slade School of Fine Art. Emily Sundblad is a co-founder of Reena Spaulings Fine Art. Barbara Wesołowska is a Polish painter who lives and works in London.