Christopher was President of the Royal Academy for eight years and given a knighthood in 2021.
I first met him a few years ago, when The Modern House was selling his beautiful home in Camberwell. Shortly after that, he had a joint exhibition in Los Angeles with my wife, Faye Toogood, so I got to know him better during the week we were out there together.
This podcast gave me the chance to go a bit deeper, and I really enjoyed finding out more about his life.
Despite always finding himself in positions of authority, Christopher paints a picture of a naturally shy and introspective character.
He and his wife, Charlotte Verity, moved out to Somerset a couple of years ago, and we had a snoop around their studios before sitting down to record this podcast in their lovely Georgian farmhouse.
Christopher gives me a fascinating insight into what it's like to be a professional painter: from the importance of the space he's working in, to the rituals he goes through and what he's thinking about.
He tells me about what it's like to live with another artist – how they need to give each other space, and how they critique each other's work.
And we discuss the important houses in his life, notably the Victorian villa that he extended with the help of the architect Jamie Fobert.
I've got a huge amount of respect for Christopher, and I found this conversation so fascinating. I hope you enjoy it too.
For more:
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Producer: Laconic Collective
Graphic Design: Ben Tucker
Music: Simeon Walker
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