Franklin Lavender is a queer, neurodivergent creative, born and working in England. They’re a mixed-medium artist with output explored through video, clay, performance, sculpture, installation, and zine-making, to name a few. Their work explores a variety of mediums as an expression of how they connect to their surroundings, along with the topic of interest. Their practice themes around gender, identity, emotional impact, and spirituality, particularly exploring the taboos within each. Though he can delve into the perspectives of others within these themes, their work often provides a raw inspection of their psyche, lived experiences and perceived reality. Ultimately, Franklin’s process serves to say what they cannot speak, to show the unseen of their internal world, make light of their darker thoughts and experiences, and form a deeper connection to a world they’ve continuously felt disconnected from, as a desperate act to be understood and to understand our matrix. As a chronic daydreamer, Lavender creates to form a bridge between their physical and mental realities.Lavender began exhibiting in 2022, for “Sexuality. Gender. Identity.” (LTB, Coventry), followed by “Environments” (Arcadia, Coventry) in 2023, then in 2024 its degree show, “Flux” (Coventry University), and “GIRLS+GUTS” (44ad, Bath) for the Fringe Arts Festival. They graduated from Coventry University with a Fine Art BA in 2024, and are working towards further qualifications within somatic healing and art therapies.

Specialism: Art Therapy, Deep Listening, Documentation, Handpoke Tattooing, Journaling/Writing, Mindfulness, Painting/Drawing, Performance, Poetry/Prose, Sculpture, Somatic, Video/Film, Visual Arts

Photo credit: Amy Threader (IG: @amy.threader)

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