‘A Dangerous Lesson’ draws from a selection of René Magritte’s paintings, notably from the ‘Période Vache’ (1948); a controversial series, infamous for undermining traditional aesthetic conventions and seen as a precursor to the ‘Bad Painting’ movement of the 1970s and 1980s.

Continuing with this subversive tradition, Pybus blends elements of ‘low culture’ and ‘bad taste’ into his paintings to produce a new visual language that challenges the established norms and narratives of high art and contemporary society.

Michael Pybus (b. 1982, Darlington) lives and works in Manchester. He earned a BA in Fine Arts from Goldsmiths College in 2004 and an MA in Sculpture from the Royal College of Art in 2008.