Steve McPherson

Born in Margate and raised on the north Kent coast of the UK, Steve McPherson chose to be an artist at 8 years old, when his hopes of being a pilot were dashed due to his colour-blindness. He pursued this desire, and subsequently has studied, taught, made and exhibits his artworks internationally.

Since 2007 Steve’s primary source materials have been the discarded plastic objects that wash ashore on his local coast. While it is impossible to ignore the environmental concerns present in his work, his practice draws analogies akin to the role of archaeologist, collector, and paradoxical treasure hunter. 

Steve is an internationally exhibited artist whose practice includes, assemblage, collections, sculptural objects, installation, book works, photography, and sound. These are undertaken in aesthetics born from the laboratory and museum. Reflecting his interest in the way that the mundane can move through a transformative state into meaning.

In recent years Steve has worked with British Council in Cairo, the National Museum of Marine Science & Technology, Keelung, Taiwan, and has collaborated artistically to promote the work of a range of marine conservation groups including the Marine Conservation Society, Surfers Against Sewage and Plastic Oceans foundation.

McPherson has been featured in television documentaries for Sky Arts and the BBC. His work appears in many journals and magazines both in print and online, and has been shown in exhibitions and art fairs, in the UK, USA, mainland Europe, and Asia. Including the Cannes Film Festival, American touring exhibition ‘Plastic Entanglements’, the Biennale Internationale Design, Saint-Etienne, France, 'Gyre - The Plastic Ocean' Touring exhibition, USA, the b-side festival, Cultural Olympiad of 2012 and shows in the UK, Germany, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Finland, France, and Italy.

His work is held in both corporate and private collections.

Steve currently lives and works near Margate, UK. 

Available Works

Empty Echoes, 2025

Artist: Steve McPherson
Dimensions: 80 x 80 x 7 cm
Materials: 81 individual sculptures: plastic monofilaments, rope filaments, netting, primed aluminium composite, white wood box frame

Price: $11,100 USD

(Price does not include shipping, tariffs or import fees.)

Proceeds: 50% of the net proceeds from the sale of this artwork will be donated to Surfers Against Sewage https://www.sas.org.uk/

Fractional Distillation, 2013

Artist: Steve McPherson
Dimensions: 28 x 20 x 4 cm (approx)
Materials: Unaltered marine plastic objects

Price: $1,930 USD 

(Price does not include shipping, tariffs or import fees.)

Proceeds: 50% of the net proceeds from the sale of this artwork will be donated to Surfers Against Sewage https://www.sas.org.uk/

For purchasing or other details, please contact: Info@stevemcpherson.co.uk
To learn more about Steve McPherson, visit: www.stevemcpherson.co.uk and/or @Mcphersonsteve