OUTSIDER Inside York, an exhibition of words and pictures at the Art Of Protest Gallery, York, celebrates the diverse voices of five artists who have used creativity to reshape their lives.
Challenging the status quo, this month’s show at the Walmgate art space reveals art’s transformative power in overcoming adversity
Taking part are Boxxhead, alias York mixed-media artist Kevin McNulty; former British Army soldier and PTSD sufferer Kevin Devenport, who began painting as a form of self-expression while in prison for drug offences, and Peter Stapleton, who discovered a gift for painting in oils after 22 years behind bars.
On show too is work by the late neurodivergent artist and musician Neil Bunting, who died last year, having struggled with mental health issues and personal loss throughout his life and never exhibited in his lifetime.
Their works are complemented by poems by Geoff Beacon, whose latest collection, Foreboding, engages with activism and politics in York.
Gallery founder and curator Craig Humble says: “We are excited to present Outsider Inside York, a dynamic new group exhibition that examines the power of art as catharsis and resistance. The show features a selection of artists whose works defy mainstream artistic conventions and explore the role of visual art and written words in activism.
“Outsider Inside York celebrates individuals whose unique personal experience – ranging from life in prison and military service to neurodivergence – have shaped their creativity.”
The concept of “Outsider Art” traces its roots to French artist Jean Dubuffet, who in 1945 coined the term “Art Brut” to describe art produced outside the boundaries of traditional culture. “Today, Outsider Art remains a vital form of expression for those challenging societal norms,” says Craig.
“Outsider Inside York is a platform for UK-based artists whose diverse stories offer new perspectives and reveal art’s transformative power in overcoming adversity. We invite viewers to engage with a range of art that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.”
Featured artists
Kevin McNulty aka Boxxhead
BOXXHEAD, the pseudonym of York mixed-media artist Kevin McNulty, is known for his expressive works that combine screen prints, large-scale original pieces on canvas and paper. His Aura collection, showcased in 2023 at Art Of Protest, reflected his personal experiences living with epilepsy, capturing the challenges of navigating the modern world with a neurological condition.
Drawing influence from Neo-Expressionism, Surrealism and figures such as Einstein, Boxxhead’s art blends stencilled layers, automatic mark-making and hand-drawn images. His child-like approach to complex social and political issues presents unfiltered narratives that speak to a 21st-century audience, fusing words and images with raw emotion and provocative insight.
Kevin Devenport
KEVIN Devenport’s gateway into the art world began while serving a prison sentence for drug offences. After years in the British Army, including active tours in Northern Ireland, Kevin was diagnosed with PTSD, which led him to prison and, ultimately, to painting as a form of self-expression.
Despite lacking formal artistic qualifications, Kevin’s work has received national acclaim, including the Koestler Award for painting and prestigious recognition such as the Leonardo de Vinci International Artist Award and the Olympic Art Prize.
Peter Stapleton
PETER Stapleton’s creativity began unexpectedly behind prison walls. After spending 22 years incarcerated, including at HMP Full Sutton, near York, Peter discovered a previously unknown ability for painting during a prison art class on the day of a visit by Home Secretary Michael Howard.
Given a canvas and paints, because the tutor had run out of pencils, Peter’s first-ever painting was recognised instantly as a skilled reproduction of an image in a magazine.
During the latter part of his latest sentence after a long record for armed robbery, Peter, from Manchester, completed a Fine Art Degree focusing on oil painting. His art practice has developed ideas and questions of masking and the role of institutions in forming the type of people we are believed to be.
“He had never painted or drawn in his life, where, in the circumstances he had grown up in, he knew only crime, but he turned out to be a natural,” says Craig Humble. “Now he paints photo-realistic corridors, almost abstract in style, striking a balance between prisons’ obsession with polishing floors while the structures of these institutions are falling all around them.”
Neil Bunting
NEIL Bunting, who passed away in 2024, left behind a creative echo of his life through art and music. Having struggled with mental health issues and personal loss throughout his life, Neil found solace in creating intricate visual art and composing music. His works offer insight into his internal world and how he used his creativity to balance challenges he faced living in this world.
His music compositions aired on BBC Radio 6 Music and although his unique artwork inspired those who saw it, none of the work was ever exhibited in his lifetime.
“Last year, not long before his death, I was approached by a retired social worker who had worked with Neil and had collected some of his pieces,” says Craig Humble. “She wanted to share his work with the public and she thought that out of all the galleries in York, we might be interested.
“We first met in May – I never met Neil, who passed way last summer – and I felt his work would be perfect for this show at the beginning of 2025.”
A proportion of sale proceeds will be donated to the I Am Reusable community food bank in York, with plans being put in place to also donate to a drug and alcohol services charity in Scarborough, where Neil’s sister, Christine Tipple, lives.
Geoff Beacon
GEOFF Beacon’s poetry journey began in 1992 with a friendly competition with his daughter, later leading him to write for Longman’s Mapping Awareness magazine.
Geoff’s work is engaged deeply with activism and local politics, particularly in York, where he has become a well-known figure. His latest poetry collection, Foreboding, brings together his poems from 1992 to the present day, offering a voice for social change and reflecting the ongoing human experience through powerful, politically charged language.
“Geoff has been a friend of the gallery by way of a witty quip and friendly face since we relocated to Walmgate five years ago,” says Craig Humble. “Geoff is an activist who uses many avenues to advance progressive conversations.
“As well as the traditional avenues around politics, Geoff also write polemic poetry. The sort of poetry that sits well with our gallery. Like our visual arts, Geoff writing can’t be ignored.
“Whether the reader agrees with the sentiment or goals isn’t so important, rather than it inspires thought, investigation and conversation.”
Outsider Inside York – An Exhibition of Words and Pictures, Art Of Protest Gallery, Walmgate, York, on show until February 16. Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 11am to 6pm; Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 5pm.