# Phil Coy

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**Philip Coy** (born 1971) is a British contemporary artist known for his films and public works exploring architectures and language.[1] He works across a range of media including [sculpture](/source/Sculpture), [film](/source/Film), [video installation](/source/Video_installation), [sound installation](/source/Sound_installation), [photography](/source/Photography), text, and performance.[2]

## Life and work

Born in Gloucester, England, he grew up in the [Forest of Dean](/source/Forest_of_Dean), Birmingham and Norfolk. He studied Fine Art at [Liverpool College of Art](/source/Liverpool_College_of_Art) (1993), [École des beaux-arts de Nantes - Saint-Nazaire](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89cole_des_beaux-arts_de_Nantes_-_Saint-Nazaire)[3] (1995) and [Slade School of Fine Art](/source/Slade_School_of_Fine_Art) (2000).[4]

His early internet sourced video "Eleven Seconds of Paradise"[5] (2000) was made prior to the launch of [Google images](/source/Google_Images) using [AltaVista](/source/AltaVista) and included in the [Hayward Gallery](/source/Hayward_Gallery) touring exhibition *Incommunicado*[6][7][8](2003-4) and [Dan Graham](/source/Dan_Graham)'s *Waterloo Sunset Pavilion*, [Hayward Gallery](/source/Hayward_Gallery)[9] (2002-2003). *Incommunicado'*s curator Margot Heller described *Eleven seconds of paradise* as

"a succinct comment on the negative impact of communication technologies, and as such its efficacy and relevance have increased in the short space of time since it was made."[10]

Coy used [Earth observation](/source/Earth_observation) data from satellites as source material in 2000 prior to the launch of [Google Earth](/source/Google_Earth) (2004) when satellite navigation became the ubiquitous cultural phenomenon it is today. His 'pixel replacements' such as *A walk in the park* (2000),[11][12] *Trinidad Triptych [Red square]*[13] (2004) and *Black spot*[14][15] (2005), reproduced pixels from satellite images to scale, and installed and photographed them in the place they represented on the earth. The works combined techniques of [digital imaging](/source/Digital_imaging), [minimalism](/source/Minimalism) and [land art](/source/Land_art) to produce a form of [augmented reality](/source/Augmented_reality). In 2016 Coy became the second Leverhulme artist-in-residence[16] at the [Rutherford Appleton Space Laboratory](/source/Rutherford_Appleton_Laboratory) following [Elizabeth Price](/source/Elizabeth_Price_(artist)). He researched the processes and materials behind digital satellite imaging to produce the [fulldome](/source/Fulldome) film and [virtual reality](/source/Virtual_reality) installation *Substance*[17][18] toured to [FACT Liverpool](/source/FACT_Liverpool)[19] (2017), [The Royal Observatory Planetarium](/source/Royal_Observatory,_Greenwich),[20] [South London Gallery](/source/South_London_Gallery)[21] (2018), [York Art Gallery](/source/York_Art_Gallery).[22][23]

The newsreader and reporter [Julia Somerville](/source/Julia_Somerville) starred in his film *Façade* (2010),[24][25][26] which casts London's glass architecture as a transparent subject rendered slowly opaque by the language it engenders.[27] Façade (2010) and Wordland (2008)[28] are held in the [BFI](/source/British_Film_Institute) Artists Moving Image Collection.

He was the inaugural artist in residence at [Brunel University](/source/Brunel_University) (2018–19)[29] where he devised the imprint *youarehere!*[30] with author and academic [Will Self](/source/Will_Self). The project is explored in the essay *amidst the susurration of motorways*[31] by artist/writer/curator [Richard Grayson](/source/Richard_Grayson_(artist)).

## Filmography

- *Sixty Beats* (2025)
- *Grit* (2024)
- *Islands* (2023)
- *Substance* (2018)
- *Avoiding Green* (2017)
- *Who goes there?* (2016)
- *as far as i know [afaik]* (2015)
- *Sons of unless and children of almost* (2014)
- *Krapp's Shultz* (2012)
- *Façade* (2010)
- *Wordland* (2008)
- *Omega (*2004)
- *Eleven Seconds of Paradise* (2000)(2010)(2020)
- *Sound Mirror* (1999)
- *Notes from the waterfall* (1999)

## Public works

*Sixty beats per minute* (2025)[32] commissioned by [Arts + Christianity](/source/Arts_%2B_Christianity), sound installation [https://artandchristianity.org/60bpm](https://artandchristianity.org/60bpm), featured dub mix by [Adrian Sherwood](/source/Adrian_Sherwood).

*Swete Brethe* (2021)[33] commissioned by [Matt's Gallery](/source/Matt's_Gallery), temporary installation adjacent to [Embassy of the United States of America in London](/source/Embassy_of_the_United_States,_London), featuring composition by [Byron Wallen](/source/Byron_Wallen).

*Stereo Pair* (2021)[34][35] commissioned by [Brunel University London](/source/Brunel_University_London), permanent site-sensitive sound installation, John Crank Gardens in Brunel University.

*Your right to continued existence* (2016)[36][37] Islington North, commissioned by [TFL](/source/TfL_Rail) and [Islington Council](/source/Islington_London_Borough_Council), installed under the 'Cally Bridge' on the [Caledonian Road, London](/source/Caledonian_Road,_London), adjacent to the [London Overground](/source/London_Overground), [Caledonian Road & Barnsbury railway station](/source/Caledonian_Road_%26_Barnsbury_railway_station).

*Razzle Dazzle Boogie Woogie* (2013)[38][39] Permanent public realm commission installed opposite [Lewisham station](/source/Lewisham_station), visible from mainline railway between [Kent](/source/Kent), [East Sussex](/source/East_Sussex) and [London Bridge](/source/London_Bridge). A curved architectural facade of backlit coloured glass panels create a [digital camouflage](/source/Digital_camouflage) over the facade of [Lewisham](/source/Lewisham)'s Glass Mill leisure Centre. At night the kinetic work is animated by the sounds of [Lewisham](/source/Lewisham).

## References

1. ["SCORES"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200627210940/https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=scores&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=). *BFI LFF*. 1 Oct 2015. Archived from [the original](https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=scores&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=) on 27 June 2020.

1. ["Phil Coy"](https://www.southlondongallery.org/events/phil-coy-substance-a-whole-history-of-hollows-and-reliefs/). *South London Gallery*. 27 June 2018.

1. Reynaud, Patrick, and Coignet, Jean-Gabriel (2005). *Post Diplôme 1994-1995 Nantes*. Centre Pompidou, Bibliothèque Kandinsky: Galerie des Beaux-Arts. p. 65.

1. ["Phil Coy, Substance \[a whole history of hollows and reliefs\] - South London Gallery"](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/slade/news/2018/06/coy-substance-slg). *Slade, University College London*. 10 June 2018.

1. ["eleven seconds of paradise"](http://animateprojectsarchive.org/films/by_date/2010/eleven_seconds_of_paradise_2010). *Animate Projects*. Retrieved 12 July 2013.

1. Hickling, Alfred (7 June 2004). ["Incommunicado"](https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2004/jun/07/art). *Guardian*. Retrieved 7 June 2004.

1. ["Incommunicado"](https://homemcr.org/exhibition/incommunicado/). *Home*. Retrieved 13 July 2017.

1. ["Incommunicado - at the Sainsbury Centre"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/norfolk/culture/incommunicado.shtml). *BBC Norfolk*. Retrieved 16 October 2003.

1. ["Waterloo Sunset Pavillion"](https://www.haywardgallery.org.uk/sunset.html). *Hayward Gallery*. Retrieved 20 August 2011.

1. Heller, Margot (2003). *Incommunicado*. British Library: Hayward Gallery. p. 5. ISBN 1853322326.

1. Collins, Susan. ["Framing the digital: Materialising New Media"](https://www.slideshare.net/institutosergiomotta/framing-the-digital-materialising-new-mediasusan-collins-2518937). *instituto sergio motta*. Retrieved 17 November 2007.

1. ["Great piece of Turf"](http://www.daniellearnaud.com/DA2005/installation_views8.htm). *Danielle Arnaud*. Retrieved 20 July 2003.

1. ["Triangle Network Projects Phil Coy 2004 CCA, Port of Spain, Trinidad"](https://www.trianglenetwork.org/triangle-network/projects/phil-coy). *Triangle Network*. Retrieved 3 August 2006.

1. ["Real Estate Projects"](https://welcomebb.sophiehope.org.uk/projects/realestateprojects.html). *B+B*. Retrieved 11 July 2008.

1. Sullivan, Laura L (10 April 2005). ["Get Real! Art, Regeneration, and Resistance"](https://www.metamute.org/editorial/articles/get-real-art-regeneration-and-resistance). *Mute*. Retrieved 4 October 2005.

1. ["Phil Coy – Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Space Residency"](https://invisibledust.com/projects/phil-coy-rutherford-appleton-laboratory-space-residency). *Invisible Dust*. 7 September 2017.

1. ["A whole history of hollows and reliefs"](http://culture.theodi.org/substance-a-whole-history-of-hollows-and-reliefs/). *The Open Data Institute*. 6 April 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2020.

1. The Open Data Institute (12 November 2020). ["Phil Coy"](https://culture.theodi.org/phil-coy/)

1. ["The New Observatory"](https://www.fact.co.uk/artwork/substance-a-whole-history-of-hollows-and-reliefs). *FACT Liverpool*. Retrieved 28 September 2017.

1. ["Spectral Power"](https://www.space-policy.com/27-june-2018-spectral-power-screening-royal-observatory-london/). *Space Policy*. Dr Jill Stuart. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.

1. [Phil Coy: substance \[a whole history of hollows and reliefs](https://www.southlondongallery.org/events/phil-coy-substance-a-whole-history-of-hollows-and-reliefs/)

1. ["Strata Rocks Dust Stars"](https://yorkmediale.com/events/phil-coy-substance-a-whole-history-of-hollows-and-reliefs/). *[York Mediale](/source/York_Mediale)*. Retrieved 27 September 2018.

1. ["Strata Rocks Dust Stars"](https://www.yorkartgallery.org.uk/exhibition/strata-rock-dust-stars/). *York Art Gallery*. Retrieved 29 September 2018.

1. Morgan, Eleanor (18 June 2010). ["Whitstable Biennale: a new pearl among the art-world oysters"](https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2010/jun/18/whitstable-biennale-new-art?CMP=twt_gu). *The Guardian*. Guardian. Retrieved 18 June 2010.

1. ["Façade, Phil Coy"](https://filmlondon.org.uk/flamin-productions-round-1). *Film London*

1. ["Artprojx Cinema in association with Armory Show New York"](http://flamin.filmlondon.org.uk/news/2011/february/artprojx_cinema). *Film London*. February 14, 2011.

1. ["Phil Coy, Façade"](https://whitstablebiennale.com/project/facade/). *Whitstable Biennale*. 12 May 2010.

1. ["Wordland"](https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8d5d7ada). *British Film Institute*. Retrieved 13 November 2020.[dead link]

1. ["The art of self-surveillance – New Artist-in-Residence unveils debut work"](https://www.brunel.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/articles/The-art-of-self-surveillance-New-artist-in-residence-unveils-debut-work). *Brunel University*. Retrieved 6 February 2019.

1. ["Phil Coy: Artist-in-residence public programme"](http://artlicks.com/events/7392/phil-coy-artist-in-residence). Artlicks. Retrieved 1 December 2019.

1. Grayson, Richard (3 November 2019). ["amidst the susurration of motorways"](https://youarehere.work/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2019_Richard_Grayson_EssayPoster_web.pdf)

1. ["Sixty beats per minute"](https://www.artandchristianity.org/60bpm). *Art + Christianity*. 24 May 2025.

1. ["Swete Brethe"](https://www.mattsgallery.org/exhibitions/swete-breath). *Matt's Gallery*. 24 November 2021.

1. ["Stereo Pair"](https://youarehere.work/works/stereopair/). *youarehere*. 12 April 2021.

1. ["Clockwork Orange set 'switched on' as Brutalist sound installation"](https://www.brunel.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/articles/Clockwork-Orange-set-%27switched-on%27-as-Brutalist-sound-installation). *Brunel University News*. 27 September 2022.

1. Anna Hart, Tilly Fowler & (8 September 2016). ["kingscrossfieldmap"](http://www.kingscrossfieldmap.org/). *AIR Kings Cross Field Map*

1. ["your right to continued existence"](https://callycolourchart.info/about/). *your right to continued existence*. 13 November 2020.

1. ["Public art in Lewisham"](https://lewisham.gov.uk/inmyarea/arts/your-local-arts/visual-art/galleries/public-art/lewisham-public-art). *Lewisham Council*. 12 June 2013.

1. ["Razzle Dazzle Boogie Woogie"](https://futurecity.co.uk/portfolio/razzle-dazzle/). *Futurecity*. 12 November 2020.

## External links

- [official website](https://philcoy.info/)
- [Phil Coy](https://www.mattsgallery.org/artists/phil-coy) at [Matt's Gallery](/source/Matt's_Gallery)
- [Phil Coy](https://filmsandfestivals.britishcouncil.org/projects/wordland) at [British Council](/source/British_Council)
- [Phil Coy](https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/results) at [BFI](https://www.bfi.org.uk/)
- [Phil Coy](http://flamin.filmlondon.org.uk/showcase/assets/showcase_items/facade) at [Film London](/source/Film_London)
- [Phil Coy](https://www.southlondongallery.org/events/phil-coy-substance-a-whole-history-of-hollows-and-reliefs/) at [South London Gallery](/source/South_London_Gallery)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Phil Coy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Coy) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Coy?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.