From London to Space City — Danny Rolph Channels Britpop, Brings the Noise with Colorful Art

Artist Danny Rolph smiles while discussing his love of art and music. His personality, imbued with warmth, is equal parts affable and unassuming.

The British painter’s latest exhibition at Houston’s Barbara Davis Gallery, “Trippin’ Across the Ocean,” runs through this Saturday, June 21. The title, Rolph explains, is taken from a line in folk singer Fred Neil’s 1966 classic “Everybody’s Talkin.”

“I thought it was apt, as I’ve been flying to Houston now for 20 years thanks to Barbara Davis,” he says. Hailing from London, Rolph is one of numerous artists connected to the Young British Artists (YBA) movement, which had its heyday during the 1990s.

“The YBA phenomenon was really centered around graduates from two universities: the Royal College of Art, where I studied for my Master of Arts from 1991-93, and Goldsmiths College,” Rolph says. “It flourished in the mid ’90s due to the media and Saatchi, plus the emergence of the Britpop music scene.

“Us painters, mostly at the RCA, were more on the periphery initially, but as opportunities arose internationally, this quickly changed.”

One of Rolph’s contemporaries at RCA was painter Chris Ofili, also a member of YBA. “I could tell straight away he had something special, and we remain great friends til today,” Rolph says. “He’s my oldest son’s godfather as well. I am lucky to own a few works of his on paper.”

A Legendary Texas Ghost Town

In 2023, Rolph curated a group show which included Ofili’s work for 532 Gallery Thomas Jaeckel in New York City. The metaphorically charged title for the show “Anarene” came from the Texas ghost town featured in late film legend Peter Bogdonovich’s The Last Picture Show (1971) and Texasville (1990) — both adaptations ofLarry McMurtry novels.

In addition to Ofili, who has resided and worked in Trinidad since 2005, Rolph cites numerous art and cultural inspirations.

“I have been studying in greater depth the Sienese School of Painting after viewing the ‘Siena: The Rise of Painting, 1300-1350’ exhibition at the National Gallery in London, but my passion for the Venetian School and Roman Baroque is ever expanding,” he notes.

Modernist art and architecture underpin his practice. He specifically cites Rothko, Twombly, Agnes Martin, Louis Kahn and Oscar Niemayer. In film, he enjoys Kubrick, Tarkovsky, Jordan Peele and Lynne Ramsay. In poetry, William Carlos Williams, Tang Dynasty-era poet Du Fu, Rilke and Beckett.

“In 21st century art, I always enjoy new shows by Stanley Whitney, Jon Lasker, Jacqueline Humphries, Charlene Von Heyl, Albert Oehlen, Carol Bove, Sterling Ruby and David Hammons,” Rolph says. “Best art book in recent years was David Salle’s How To See (2016).”

A Love Of American Music

Rolph’s eyes light up while reminiscing on his lifelong fascination with music. He recalls listening to Grandmaster Flash, Sugar Hill Gang and Afrika Bambaataa during his youth and later became a DJ in London.

“I always preferred American music; my first single was ‘Love Machine’ by The Miracles,” Rolph says. “Disco, soul, funk and later hip-hop, what’s now defined as Yacht Rock interspersed with psychedelic jazz. Quite eclectic. I particularly loved it when clips from Soul Train were shown in the UK on Top of the Pops.

“My favorite album, though, is Curtis by Curtis Mayfield.” In a video filmed by his son Ben, Rolph walks toward a record player with an album from the Mayfield-founded Curtom label.

“I grew up in an area called Finsbury in EC1, which is the East End of the city,” Rolph says. “This is the real Cockney area. I was so lucky it was a multicultural mix of people from around the world and of many faiths.”

He mentions two popular British shows he enjoyed during his formative years. “I love comedy and music, so Monty Python and Top of the Pops were a must,” Rolph shares.

“London’s history and strength have been built on people like my own who have moved there from everywhere,” he continues. “In my area, there’s been gentrification, but this has been going on for centuries, periodically interrupted fire, the Luftwaffe and property developers since the 1980s. I accept change as inevitable, but it’s the interpersonal that matter to me. Social cohesion through diversity rather than uniformity.”

Instead of focusing on color theories of Johannes Itten, Chevreul or color scientists, Rolph prefers to let intuition guide him.

“There’s no scientific theory of color in my work,” he says. “It’s intuitive, instinctive and based upon memories. Things I’ve grown up around like albums, clothes — a lot from the ’80s. But also, I’ve traveled around the world and have seen lots of different buildings. Color is intuitive and drives my practice.”

Rolph also likens his paintings to fantasies. “These paintings are sort of real experiences coupled with imagined spaces, and that’s critical to the practice — this openness to visual discovery,” he says.

His Triplewall series, with titles like Hexa (2018), Quartetti 1-4 (2022) and St. Johann (2021), are layered mixed media works featuring a complex, bright palette, irregular shapes and infectious energy. Works featured at the Barbara Davis Gallery reflect Rolph’s vivaciousness and ongoing intellectual inquiry. Each work has its own subtexts and narratives embedded within the paint.

Houston gallerist Barbara Davis has enjoyed a 20-year partnership with Rolph.

“I’ve always been drawn to artists whose work leaves a lasting impression — art that resonates beyond the initial encounter,” Davis says. “Over the past 20 years, Danny Rolph has consistently created work with a profound sense of complexity and freshness. His dynamic visual language challenges viewers to look deeper, to engage not just with the surface, but with the layered narratives and emotions embedded within. His art doesn’t just invite observation — it demands contemplation.”

Although his love of Texas is obvious, Rolph has also evolved into an international artist. His Mercedes Estarellas-curated “Tercet” exhibition debuted at the Museu de Pollença in Mallorca, Spain in 2024. His work has also been exhibited at Hafnarborg —  the Hafnarfjörður Center of Culture and Fine Art in Iceland. Rolph’s art journey has even taken him to Mark Rothko’s hometown in Daugavpils, Latvia. The Mark Rothko Art Centre acquired Rolph’s acrylic on canvas painting August (2022), and Rolph received an artist-in-residence award from the Mark Rothko Memorial Trust.

To Rolph, a philosophy of art should include the idea that art is both mutable and a way of working through contemplation.

“Art is forever evolving and will continue to enrich and reflect the times we live in,” he says. “I embrace my doubts and desires and attempt to resolve them in the studio through painting and drawing. . . and through the opportunities I have in galleries, museums and commissions worldwide.”

“Danny Rolph: Trippin’ Over the Ocean” is on view through Saturday, June 21 at Barbara Davis Gallery. Learn more here.