Philip Hoare is a writer, film-maker and curator. His books—which have featured on best-seller lists in the UK and USA, and are published in translation in Russia, China, Spain, Portugal, Germany and Italy—include SERIOUS PLEASURES: THE LIFE OF STEPHEN TENNANT and the authorised biography of Noël Coward, both of which received front cover reviews in the New York Times Book review. WILDE'S LAST STAND, ENGLAND'S LOST EDEN and SPIKE ISLAND were followed by LEVIATHAN OR, THE WHALE, winner of the BBC Samuel Johnson Prize. THE SEA INSIDE and RISINGTIDEFALLINGSTAR—acclaimed as 'a masterpiece' by The Observer—were both serialised as BBC Radio Books of the Week. His latest book is the critically acclaimed ALBERT AND THE WHALE.
His broadcast work includes the feature-length BBC 2 film, The Hunt for Moby-Dick, and three films he directed for BBC 4's Whale Night. During the 1980s he was founder of the post-punk record label, Operation Twilight, with Rough Trade Records, and he co-curated Icons of Pop at the National Portrait Gallery, one of the institution's best-attended exhibitions. He has collaborated with Pet Shop Boys, John Waters, and the Black American artist Ellen Gallagher. Recent work includes I was a dark star always (2018), an installation film about Wilfred Owen, voiced by Ben Whishaw, for the John Hansard Gallery. He is currently working with the gallery on an exhibition on the artist and film-maker, Derek Jarman.
Working with the Arts Institute, University of Plymouth, Philip co-curated the www.mobydickbigread.com, for which the entirety of Melville's novel was read by Sir David Attenborough, Tilda Swinton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Fry, Fiona Shaw, among others; and the www.ancientmarinerbigread.com, in which Coleridge's poem was read by Iggy Pop, Hilary Mantel, Willem Dafoe, Simon Armitage, Jeanette Winterson, Rupert Everett, Ali Smith, Alan Bennett, Robert Macfarlane, Jeremy Irons, and Marianne Faithfull, among others. Both digital projects have received tens of millions of hits and international coverage.
Philip is Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Southampton, and is a regular contributor to The Guardian and numerous other publications. He has represented the British Council in Moscow, Berlin and Guadalajara, and is a contributor to the Dictionary of National Biography. He is Special Ambassador to Whale and Dolphin Conservation, and swims every day in the sea.
His broadcast work includes the feature-length BBC 2 film, The Hunt for Moby-Dick, and three films he directed for BBC 4's Whale Night. During the 1980s he was founder of the post-punk record label, Operation Twilight, with Rough Trade Records, and he co-curated Icons of Pop at the National Portrait Gallery, one of the institution's best-attended exhibitions. He has collaborated with Pet Shop Boys, John Waters, and the Black American artist Ellen Gallagher. Recent work includes I was a dark star always (2018), an installation film about Wilfred Owen, voiced by Ben Whishaw, for the John Hansard Gallery. He is currently working with the gallery on an exhibition on the artist and film-maker, Derek Jarman.
Working with the Arts Institute, University of Plymouth, Philip co-curated the www.mobydickbigread.com, for which the entirety of Melville's novel was read by Sir David Attenborough, Tilda Swinton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Fry, Fiona Shaw, among others; and the www.ancientmarinerbigread.com, in which Coleridge's poem was read by Iggy Pop, Hilary Mantel, Willem Dafoe, Simon Armitage, Jeanette Winterson, Rupert Everett, Ali Smith, Alan Bennett, Robert Macfarlane, Jeremy Irons, and Marianne Faithfull, among others. Both digital projects have received tens of millions of hits and international coverage.
Philip is Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Southampton, and is a regular contributor to The Guardian and numerous other publications. He has represented the British Council in Moscow, Berlin and Guadalajara, and is a contributor to the Dictionary of National Biography. He is Special Ambassador to Whale and Dolphin Conservation, and swims every day in the sea.
