Sam Winston

Sam Winston is an artist primarily known for his typographic artworks and books, where he explores language not only as a carrier of messages but also as a visual form in and of itself.

Social engagement and the hidden impacts of the written word are often key to many of Winston’s projects. Alongside the poet Chris McCabe, he created the UK’s first Festival for Endangered Languages. He frequently collaborates with writers such as Raymond Antrobus, Bernardine Evaristo and Max Porter. Parallel to his creative work, Winston has maintained a twenty-year contemplative practice which informs much of his output.

Operating at the intersection of visual culture and literature, his artworks employ a variety of different approaches including drawing, performance and poetry. His artist’s books are held in the permanent collections of Tate Britain, British Library, Library of Congress and Getty Museum amongst others. Collaborative projects often take place at institutes such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Barbican Centre, and the Hammer Museum.

His first cross-over book, a collaboration with Oliver Jeffers, won the Bologna Ragazzi Award for fiction, debuted at number five on the New York Times Bestseller List, and has been translated into 24 languages.