RICHARD WILKINSON is an artist and regular illustrator for New Scientist, Nature, Intelligent Life, Aeon and many other science periodicals and clients in publishing, advertising and television.

In 2016, Wilkinson embarked on his first series of works exploring the relationship between the scientific practices of the Golden Age of naturalism, and the collection and classification reflected in our fanaticism of modern culture. 

On this parity, Wilkinson wrote:

“Popular culture to me is like the Amazon Jungle to a research biologist. It’s teeming with fascinating little creations that can be collected and classified…”

“I think this process helps us to understand the broader world around us”…”When we dismantle the chaos and rebuild it in recognisable patterns: species, families, genres, artistic movements, design trends; we are able to comprehend it as a larger structure.” 

Wilkinson’s first series: Arthropoda iconicus, is a vast collection of artworks illustrating imaginary insects (and a few other arthropods) which hold within them a resemblance to some specimen of popular culture - a film or TV character, a vehicle, a building, a shoe or a bag…

Wilkinson lives in Brighton with his wife, photographer Natalie Aye, and his son, Otto.