Michael Whittle is an artist, lecturer and researcher in Diagrammatology, the study of diagrams. He originally qualified and trained as a Biomedical Scientist, before changing subject to study Fine Art. During his MA at the Royal College of Art he was awarded the 2004 RCA - Daler Rowney drawing prize, and a scholarship to study at Kyoto City University of Arts, where he later returned as a Japanese Government Monbusho scholar to write his PhD thesis.     

His studio practice draws upon images, ideas and data found in scientific research papers, and discussions with scientists about the concepts and motivations underlying their studies. 

​Whittle exhibits and lectures internationally, and in 2018 made a five-week lecture tour of the UK, after which he was invited to give the 2018 ‘Pioneer Lecture’ at the London College of Communication, in celebration of pioneering research in visual art and design communication. He is currently Research Assistant Professor at the Academy of Visual Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University. 

  Education:

· PhD, (2011 –14), Kyoto City University of Arts
  Thesis title: ‘Romantic Objectivism: diagrammatic thought in contemporary art’
· Monbusho research scholar (2009 - 11), Kyoto City University of Arts
· MA, Royal College of Art (2003 - 05)
· BA, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee, (1999 – 02)
· BSc, Bradford University (Biomedicine, 1994 - 98)


  Solo Exhibitions:

​· Perpetual motion, Yi Tai 異體 Sculpture & Installation Projects, curated by André Chan, Art Central Hong Kong, 2021
· Bird Call Full Moon, Gallery Ashiya Schule, Ashiya, 2020
· Portraits of Thought - Diagrams in art and science, The Kyoto University Museum, Dec. 2018 - Feb. 2019
· The Shape of Information, COHJU Contemporary Art, Kyoto, 2017
· Out of Africa under a full moon, with dead ends, signal fire and old smoke, Kyoto City University of the Arts, 2014
· Pattern Recognition, COHJU Contemporary Art, Kyoto, 2013
· Art Futures: Emerging artists solo show, Art Basel Hong Kong, 2011
· ¡ Que Esfuertzo !  (How hard they try !), MC Gallery, Seoul, 2011
· Art Futures: Emerging artists solo show, Art Basel Hong Kong, 2010
· The Diamond Anvil, Daniel Cooney Fine Art, New York, 2010
· The World of Red Dust, C.I.G.E., International Artist Solo Show Project, with Man&Eve gallery, Beijing, 2009
· Dark Ages, Man&Eve Gallery, London, 2008
· 부유 ( 浮遊 ) (Suspensions), Gallery NV, Seoul, 2008
· 相違の類似性  類似の相違性  (Different Similarities, Similar Differences), Sfera, Kyoto, 2008
· The Louder the Sun Blooms, Daniel Cooney Fine Art, New York, 2007
· The Topology of Being, Daniel Cooney Fine Art, New York, 2006

  Two Person exhibitions:

· Circle, The Trinity Gallery, Seoul, 2019
· 12 love poems and a song of despair, COHJU contemporary art, Kyoto, 2015
· 12 love poems and a song of despair, Sakyukan, Niigata, 2015
· Dividing Line - Connecting Line, with Sangsun Bae, Ziuin-an project space, Kyoto, 2013
· Dreams As Well, Guo Hongwei and Michael Whittle, H.T. Gallery, Beijing, 2011
· Adam Humphries / Michael Whittle, Laura Bartlett Gallery, London, 2006 

  Groups exhibitions (Selected) :

​· ‘Forward: 20 Artists Delivering the Story of Peace on the Korean Peninsula’, Odusan Unification Tower, Korea, 2021
​· CITYA, Koo Ming Kown Exhibition Gallery, HKBU, Hong Kong, 2021
· Echo Oharano, Oharano Studio, Kyoto, Japan, 2021
· Creators in Lab, Art & Science Residency Showcase, Asia Culture Centre, 2019
· Art Innovation, Kyoto University / Goldsmiths Art & Science International Symposium, Kyoto University, 2019
· The Cosmic Garden, Villa Erba, Italy, curated by Jeff Gleich, 2018 
· 空隙: (Gap) Contemporary painting in China, Korea, Japan and the U.K, DAHU Art centre, Shanghai, 2016
· Ghost in the Cell, Kanazawa 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, 2015
· Wabi Sabi Shima: the Aesthetics of Perfection and Chaos in the Japanese Archipelago, Hangar H18, Brussels, 2015
· May Dialogues, Hong Kong Arts Centre, curated by Johnson Chang, 2013
· 通感, Colors of KCUA 2012, @KCUA Gallery, Kyoto, 2012
· Contemporary Drawing- works form the Allen G. Thomas, Jr. collection, The Barton Galleries, Wilson, U.S.A., 2011
· Flatland, APT Gallery, London, 2010
· Group show, Daniel Cooney Fine Art, New York, 2009 
· Huntorama, Muzz project space, curated by Robert Platt, Kyoto, 2009
· Storytelling, Man&Eve Gallery, London, 2007
· Fragments from the Studio, Malta Contemporary Art Foundation, Malta, 2007
· Miniature Worlds, Jerwood Space, London, 2006
· Baroque My World, Transition Gallery, London, 2006
· Schema, Daniel Cooney Fine Art , New York, 2006
· Art Futures, 2005, Bloomberg Space, London, 2005
· Best of MA - BA, Art Fortnight London, London, 2005


  Awards, Grants and Residencies:

· Asia Culture Centre, Creators in LabArt &Science residency, Gwangju, South Korea, 2019
· Chusa Memorial Museum, residency, Jeju island, South Korea, 2019
· The Nakatsuji Foresight Foundation, grant, 2018
· Terumo Foundation for Life Sciences and Arts, grant, 2018
· MIT Press - Leonardo Magazine's peer reviewed top ten Art-Science research, 2018
· iCems, Kyoto University Centre for Advances Studies, residency, 2018-19
· Nishieda Foundation, grant, 2014
· Takeshi Umehara Prize for outstanding doctoral research ( 梅原猛賞 受賞 ), 2014
· Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) 3 year research grant, 2013
· Japanese Government Monbukagakusho / MEXT scholarship, 2010-12
· Kyoto City University of the Arts, Royal College of Art scholarship, 2004
· Royal College of Art / Daler Rowney drawing prize, 2003 
· Farquar Reid Trust prize, 2002 
· Discovery Centenary prize, 2002 


  Selected reviews and texts:

· Totality and the art of Michael Whittle, essay, Jungi Gim, Chief Curator, Seoul National Museum
  of Modern and Contemporary Art, 2019
· Creators Navi: Michael Whittle, Axis Magazine, review, Vol. 198, April 2019
· Dividing Line, Connecting Line, Dividing Line, essay, Kawai Yuki, Curator, Kyoto, 2014
· A Place for understanding and connecting, essay, Irizawa Masaaki, Curator, Kyoto, 2014 
· Art's reaction to systematic and formalised knowledge, review, Hong Kyung-Hwan, Critic and editor, Seoul, 2011
· Emerging Artists by Joel Groover, review, April 2008
· Time Out London, The Miniature Worlds Show by Martin Herbert, review, August 2006
· Metro Newspaper, Marvelous in Miniature by Fisun Guner, review, August 2006
· The Daily Telegraph, A Tiny World of Great Skill by Alastair Sooke, review, August 2006
· The Guardian Guide, The Miniature Worlds Show, by Jessica Lack, review,  August 2006 
· Graphik Magazine, Universal Everything - Names to watch, Taste Report 2005
· Harpers & Queen, Names to look out for by Jeni Walwin, November 2005

​
Public Collections:

· The Yiquingzhai Collection, Hong Kong, San Francisco
· FIL Invest Management Art Collection, Hong Kong
· Progressive Art Collection, New York
· North Carolina Museum of Modern Art
· Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, New York
· Allen G. Thomas Junior Collection, North Carolina
· The Singer Collection, New York
· The Capitol Group, Los Angeles
· The Royal College of Art, London