Born in 1973 on the Isle of Mull, Scotland, Charles Avery lives and works in London. He creates drawings, objects and tableaux that give viewers clues to a mythical netherworld, which mirrors our perception of reality in great detail. Avery draws his subjects from everyday life as well as from his personal history, and mixes them with both art historical and mythological references. His ongoing project 'The Islanders' hosts a very exact topography and population. Their stories seem to start almost improvisational, sketching out the storyboards of animated personalities issued from a world of dreams, intuition and imagination.

Charles Avery has shown internationally as part of the 52nd Venice Biennale, as one of six artists representing Scotland (2007), the Lyon Biennale (2007) and the Athens Biennale (2007). Recent solo exhibitions include The Plane of the Gods at Cubitt Gallery, London (2006), The islanders: an introduction – part III at Galerie Arquebuse, Geneva (2007) and The islanders: an introduction – part II at Sonia Rosso Gallery, Turin (2006).