Sue Coe is a contemporary British artist who represents Social Realism.
She is known for her illustrations, drawings and prints which bluntly criticize the cruel attitude of humans to animals, in particular, related to the meat industry. The drawings are often made in the form of comics.
Apart from the animal rights, the artist attacks other social issues, like capitalism, the rights of marginalized people, slave labour, war and AIDS.
Background
Sue Coe was born on February 21, 1951, in Tamworth, Staffordshire, United Kingdom to a working-class family.
Sue spent her childhood near the slaughterhouse. The impressions she received encouraged her intention to become an animal defender.
Education
Sue Coe’s parents would like her daughter to engage herself in trade. She briefly attended the professional classes at school but quickly realized that it was not her devotion.
Contrary to her parents’ wish, Coe enrolled at the Guildford School of Art (currently the part of University for the Creative Arts in Kent) courses.
In 1967 she entered the Chelsea College of Arts in London and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree three years later. The year of graduation, she became a student of the Royal College of Art. Coe spent three years at the institution and gained her Master of Fine Arts degree.
Sue Coe began her career in New York City where she moved in 1972. After six years of work as an art teacher, she completely devoted herself to painting and illustrations.
One of the first group exhibitions where the artist presented her early artworks depicting social inequality both to animals and humans was the show of 1977 at the American Institute of Graphic Arts in New York City. The debut solo exhibition of the artist was organized two years later at the Thumb Gallery in London.
At the beginning of the 21st century, Sue Coe came back to the teaching activity. She joined the teacher’s staff of the Parsons School of Design in 2001. She has taught reportage and social-political art for three years.
One of the important events of this period became the Philagraphika festival of 2010 dedicated to the print art. Three years later, the artist has given lessons on social awareness in the art as a visiting professor.
Since the first solo exhibition, Coe has presented her artworks at multiple solo and group shows around the United States, as well as in France, Italy, United Kingdom and Denmark. Besides, her prints and drawings have been used as illustrations to various books and essays in periodicals such as The Progressive, Mother Jones, Blab!, The New York Times, The New Yorker, Time magazine, Newsweek and The Nation. The artist actively collaborates with American comics anthology magazine World War 3 Illustrated as well.
Nowadays, Sue Coe lives and works in New York City. Her art is represented by the Galerie St. Etienne.
Sue Coe has financially supported many animal rights organizations with money she received from the sale of her artworks at auctions.
Quotes from others about the person
"I have no doubt that Sue's art … is of historic importance. A hundred years from now and more, assuming our species has managed to survive, Sue Coe's work will hang in all the great museums of the world." Tom Regan, American philosopher
"Sue Coe … has done more through her paintings and prints to help animals than any other artist in history." Tom Regan, American philosopher
"Coe has a message to deliver, and her visceral, graphic imagery doesn’t pull any punches. Coe’s righteous anger, not to mention her confident hand and riveting compositions, will hold your eye and haunt your mind." The New Yorker magazine
Interests
Artists
Chaim Soutine, José Guadalupe Posada, Käthe Kollwitz, Francisco Goya, Rembrandt