Victor Burgin gained prominence in the late 1960s as a conceptual artist, noted at the time as a political photographer of the left, and was later nominated for the Turner Prize in 1986. His interest in both concept and material has led to a unique and innovative approach to photography, manifested through photo-text works, prints, digital video and 3D modelling. Each form becomes a vehicle for an enquiry into the materiality of the medium itself. Following his work as a political photographer, he began focusing on the interplay between images and text in the 1970s, turning to digital means in the 1990s to further extend his investigations into politics, philosophy and psychoanalysis.
Burgin was born in Sheffield, England and currently lives and works in Paris, France. He studied at the Royal College of Art, London in 1965 and later received an MFA from Yale University in 1967. Solo exhibitions have been held at the John Hansard Gallery, Southampton (2016); Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Siegen (2014); Museo di Fotografia Contemporane, Milan (2008); and MAK Foundation, Los Angeles (2007), with participation in numerous group exhibitions including 'Conceptual Art in Britain 1964–1979,' Tate Britain, London (2016); 'Trapping Lions in the Scottish Highlights,' Aspen Art Museum, Aspen (2013); 'Spirits of Internationalism: 6 European Collections, 1956–1986,' Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, The Netherlands (2012), amongst several others. His work is included in the collections of MoMA, the Tate, the Walker Art Center and the British Council Art Collection.