Lauren Baker Artist Biography
Early Life and Artistic Beginnings
Lauren Baker was born in 1982 in Middlesbrough, UK. She is a British multidisciplinary artist whose work is exhibited internationally as well as across the UK. Lauren’s artistic journey began following a life-changing trip to South America, where she participated in a mosaic street art project in Brazil and took part in shamanic ceremonies in the Peruvian Amazon. Inspired by this transformative experience, she went on to study mosaic art in Venice, laying the foundations for her signature mixed-media and light-infused works.
Inspiration, Style, and Creative Process
Lauren Baker draws inspiration from the vastness of the universe, metaphysics, and environmental sustainability. Using meditation to select colours, her visual style often incorporates elements that emit or reflect light. Many of her artworks reference frequencies emitted by astronomical bodies, plants, human organs, and chakras, creating a sense of mystery, emergence, and connection to something beyond the immediate world. Her signature neon, kinetic, and celestial works explore human connection, energy, and the expansiveness of the cosmos, often enhanced with diamond dust, neon, and reflective materials.
Major Works, Exhibitions, and Recognition
Lauren’s work has been featured in Vogue, which dubbed her ‘the queen of skulls’, and the Tate, which praised her unique and atmospheric approach. She has produced iconic installations such as the world’s first infinity mirror coffin at Tate Britain, a 7-ft mirrored geometric ‘Portal to Another Dimension’ commissioned for Clerkenwell Design Week, and 100 mirrored eyes on 50-ft trees at Unknown Festival, Croatia. Solo shows like Transition at The Ivy (2015) received rave reviews, while her Steinway grand piano encrusted with 500,000 crystals sold for £420,000 to an influential sheikh in Qatar. Other notable works include The Crystal Tigress, a life-size tiger head encrusted with 52,000 crystals, which toured Asia and raised £30,000 for Save Wild Tigers.
Philanthropy, Curatorial Work, and Legacy
Lauren is passionate about environmental sustainability and conservation, using her art to raise awareness and funds for causes such as Save Wild Tigers, the Born Free Foundation, and the Environmental Investigation Agency. She curated THRIVE, an exhibition of 20 contemporary artists at the Sanderson, London, which raised £62,000 at the Mango Tree Tiger Dinner in 2014. Through her art, installations, and charitable initiatives, Lauren Baker continues to push the boundaries of light, reflection, and interactive art, blending aesthetic innovation with meaningful social and environmental impact.