Steve McQueen
A guide to the moving image artists that move culture.
Who is Steve McQueen?
Sir Steve McQueen is a British film director, producer, screenwriter and video artist. Born in London in 1969 to a Grenadian father and Trinidadian mother, he received formal training in painting at the Chelsea College of Art and Design, after which he gained an interest in film while majoring in fine art at Goldsmiths, University of London. A brief stint at the Tisch School of the Arts motivated him to turn his gaze toward experimental film.
What defines McQueen's artistic practice?
McQueen has a reputation in the world of cinema as a director with an uncompromising approach in tackling difficult social and political issues across history and in the present. In his feature-length films he utilizes an arresting style that provokes awareness and reflection. McQueen confronts society with the horrors of racism, violence, drug addiction and social inequality.
His experimental films are characterized by their overall metaphorical and oneiric qualities, addressing the above-mentioned issues with a more refined sensibility and approaching a sculptural monumentality. McQueen has stated that artists such as Andy Warhol, Sergei Eisenstein, Dziga Vertov, and Jean Vigo among others have had a profound impact on his own creative vision.
McQueen's presence in the art world
McQueen's art holds a prominent position in the contemporary art world, with his works presented at prestigious museums, galleries and institutions, including: the Museum of Modern Art, New York; Pirelli HangarBicocca, Milan; Tate Modern, London; Wexner Center for the Arts, Columbus; Dia Beacon, New York; and many others. He was selected in 2009 to represent the United Kingdom at that year’s Venice Biennale.
His feature-length films have been screened at Cannes Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Venice Film Festival and others.
Recognitions and awards
McQueen's feature-length films have garnered him the following awards: the BAFTA, the Academy Award for Best Picture and the Golden Globe for his film 12 Years a Slave (2013); the BAFTA and the Cannes Film Festival Camera d’Or for his film Hunger (2008); the Turner Prize for the “range“ and “emotional intensity” of his art in 1999. This is in addition to the multiple other awards and recognitions that he has been nominated for and/or won over the years.
In 2016, McQueen was distinguished with a BFI Fellowship. For his outstanding service and contributions to film and art in the United Kingdom, McQueen was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II during the 2020 New Year Honours, receiving his knighthood at Windsor Castle in March 2022.
Projects involving Steve McQueen
McQueen has also worked in television, creating an anthological series of five episodes titled Small Axe, documenting the life of the West Indian community in London from the 1960s to the 1980s. The series was released on the streaming platforms BBC One and Amazon Prime Video in November 2020.
In 2024, McQueen returned to filmmaking with the feature-length film Blitz, a historical drama set during the Second World War documenting the adventures of a young boy seeking to return to his mother amid the German aerial bombardment of London.
Where can I find more information about Steve McQueen?
McQueen has an artist page with resources at Thomas Dane Gallery and at Marian Goodman Gallery. He also has a dedicated page on MUBI, where some of his film works are available for streaming.