Philip Barker was born in London in 1965 and left school at the age of 16 to become a drummer, firstly with the Joy Division-inspired Lack of Knowledge - a part of the legendary Crass label, then with Stratford Mercenaries - featuring Crass vocalist Steve Ignorant - and finally 13 years with Pete Shelley's seminal punk band Buzzcocks.
His early practise in punk graphics, developed alongside artists Malcolm Garrett, Gee Vaucher and Penny Rimbaud, has now developed into a career as a full-time artist. His paintings on drum skins, paper and canvas display strong textural surfaces and gestural motifs using spray cans and charcoal, alongside oil paint, acrylic and household paints, often applied (or removed) with palette knives, sponges and rags rather than brushes.
Influences such as Jamie Reid, Westwood/McLaren and Situationism evident in his earlier work have gradually moved towards more painterly influences that include Frank Auerbach, Howard Hodgkin, Jackson Pollock and most recently, Picasso.
Barker continues his interest in music as a part of the multi-media electronic group the think/tank.