Keith Cunningham: Drawings, Volume I is the first of two publications dedicated to the graphic work of one of Britain’s most compelling yet overlooked artists. Focusing on drawings that depart from his early experiments of the 1950s, this volume brings together over 1,900 full-colour reproductions, most of which have never before been published or exhibited.


In the 1950s and 1960s, while also working within the commercial art world, Cunningham immersed himself in an intensely personal drawing practice. These early works – characterised by their immediacy, variation and emotional intensity – reflect a restless, searching imagination. Shifting fluidly between abstraction and figuration, they reveal Cunningham’s deep engagement with texture, gesture and the expressive potential of line.


Arranged chronologically and accompanied by details of date, size and medium, the drawings offer an intimate glimpse into the artist’s evolving visual language. This volume also includes a biography and an introductory text, providing historical context and critical insight. 


Keith Cunningham: Drawings, Volume I is a foundational step toward acknowledging the full scope of this artist’s remarkable legacy.

Text by: Laura Scalabrella Spada