Marcus Harvey Discusses Turps Banana and Painting's Marginalization in Art Schools

Marcus Harvey, a Young British Artist, presented new paintings and sculptures at Locks Gallery in Philadelphia from September 11 to October 24, 2015. In an interview with Philadelphia-based artist ERICK MILLER, Harvey detailed the origins of Turps Banana, which he co-founded with painter Peter Ashton Jones around 2007. Initially conceived as a magazine for painters, Turps Banana evolved into a gallery and art school, operating both in London and through an online correspondence program. Harvey criticized contemporary art education, describing it as bureaucratically top-heavy and in terminal decline, with painting particularly marginalized despite its market prominence. He explained that Turps Banana's initiatives—including the magazine, school, and gallery—aim to provide a lean, focused alternative, celebrating painting without critical fashion constraints. Harvey's own artistic practice involves a stylistic shift from overtly political, culturally specific works to more archetypal forms, often incorporating black-and-white palettes and engaging with photography's visual truth. His sculptures, while fully three-dimensional, are designed for frontal viewing, maintaining a painterly theatricality. The interview also touched on Harvey's teaching experiences, his time at Goldsmiths College, and the collaborative energy fostered by Turps Banana's programs, such as participants meeting independently for painting trips, like one to Norway.