Caister’s practice explores ultimate, existential themes through figuration. The work considers timelessness and the cyclical themes in human nature, and contributes to a record of our experience. Her motivation stems from the clarity found in the process of her work, and she is driven by a strong desire to communicate these findings paired with a deep empathy for her subjects. Caister works from live sittings and finds the figure in repetitive, straggling, emotionally loaded lines before using colour sparingly to produce living breathing portraits.
Morag Caister is a British artist living and working in London. Graduating in 2019, Caister now holds artwork in collections such as The National Portrait Gallery and Soho House, and has exhibited with galleries and institutions including Compton Verney, Babington House, Unit 1 Gallery, Hoxton Gallery and Blue Shop Gallery. In 2022 Caister was named winner of Sky Art’s televised series Portrait Artist of the Year, after which she was commissioned to paint Sir Lenny Henry. Caister was a candidate for Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe: Art & Culture 2023.