KID ACNE
BORN – Lilongwe, Malawi 1978
LIVES & WORKS – Sheffield, England
Ed Bradbury (b. Malawi, 1978) is a painter, print-maker, illustrator and emcee known professionally as Kid Acne – a pseudonym he chose for himself as “a spotty teenager” in the mid 1990’s.
His formative years were spent writing graffiti, self-publishing fanzines and making experimental Hip-Hop – invariably, illustrating and printing the record sleeves by hand. The culmination of these interests informed the development of his own unique aesthetic, which he has translated into innumerable graphics, product designs, installations, animations and silk screen editions.
As an emcee, Kid Acne has released six studio albums alongside various singles, EPs and collaborative projects throughout the years. He has toured across Europe and shared stages from South Yorkshire to North America with a wide range of notible acts, performing his own brand of DIY music at underground venues and major music festivals alike.
A stalwart of the international Street Art movement, Kid Acne has painted large-scale murals across continents and exhibited extensively in museums and galleries from Beijing to Paris over the past two decades. His art explores a variety of themes, including typography, fantasy, mythology and architecture. His work has adorned campaigns for some of the world’s leading brands, while the man himself continues to paint epic slogans on the backstreets of Sheffield.
And he still has acne.
SELECTED CLIENTS
Levi’s / Prada / Kenzo / Universal Works / Kid Robot / Warp Records / Big Dada / XL Recordings / Channel 4 / BBC Radio 6 Music / Volkswagen / Mercedes-Benz / Ford / Brompton / Kiehl’s / Comic Relief / Elle / Wellgosh / Schuh / Noble Rot / Montana Colors / Fenchurch / Size? / Djinns / WeWork / Lululemon /
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022
ON THE CREST OF A WAVE / Unit 44 Gallery, Tynemouth (UK)
2021
ALL THAT & A BAG OF CHIPS / Stella Dore, St Leanards (UK)
2020
BLAME THE PARENTS / The Mill, Leicester (UK)
2019
HAVE A WORD / S1 Artspace, Sheffield (UK)
2017
MARK MY WORDS / C.A.V.E Gallery, Los Angeles (US)
2015
DESTINED FOR GREATNESS / C.A.V.E Gallery, Los Angeles (US)
RUMBLE IN THE JUMBLE / B&B Gallery, Sheffield (UK)
2014
THE RETURN / Galo Art Gallery, Turin (IT)
STANDARD PRACTICE / B&B Gallery, Sheffield (UK)
ADAPTATIONS / Graffiti Life Gallery, London (UK)
2012
DAMN STRAIGHT/ Inoperable Gallery, Vienna (AT)
STAND & DELIVER / C.A.V.E Gallery, Los Angeles (US)
2011
CLOAK & DAGGER / Other Gallery, Beijing (CN)
KILL YOUR DARLINGS / Millennium Gallery, Sheffield (UK)
RHYTHM IS A DANCER / Stolen Space, London (UK)
2010
WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS / Concrete Hermit, London (UK)
DUST IN THE GIANT’S EYE / Electrik Sheep Gallery, Newcastle (UK)
OIS’ EASY / Helmet Gallery, Munich (DE)
2009
SMOKE & MIRRORS / Stella Dore Gallery, London (UK)
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
STRAWBERRY (40 Years of Insane) / Room Mate Gallery, Tokyo (JP)
NOT QUITE DISNEY / Jealous Gallery, London (UK)
RISE OF THE VANDALS / Bombsquad, York (UK)
2023
VISIBLE PLANETS / Bitfactory, Denver (US)
BIOFEST / University of Sheffield (UK)
2022
10 / Wish Less Gallery, Tokyo (JP)
WINTER GROUP SHOW / Stella Dore, St Leanards (UK)
DECKS / OurTypes, Hastings (UK)
2021
POPSHOP / Unit 44 Gallery, Newcastle (UK)
2020
OURTYPES GROUP SHOW / Jealous Gallery, London (UK)
RISE / Carriageworks, Sydney (AU)
HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT / Unit 44 Gallery, Newcastle (UK)
2019
RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS / Semi Skimmed Gallery, London (UK)
YES PLEASE / B&B Gallery, Leeds (UK)
2018
LA BAGATELLE / Costume 3 Pieces, Paris, (FR)
WORD / Kult Gallery, Singapore (SG)
OUTDOOR FESTIVAL / Mattatoio, Rome (IT)
2017
ALTERED STATES / Saatchi Gallery, London (UK)
ALL GOOD THINGS / Stolen Space, London (UK)
HERE WE ARE / B&B Gallery, Sheffield (UK)
2016
SPRING GROUP SHOW / B&B Gallery, Sheffield (UK)
2015
UN DESSIN EST BEAU SI LA LIGNE EST VIVANTE / Pilori Museum, Niort (FR)
MONIKER ART FAIR / JAM Editions, London (UK)
WINTER GROUP SHOW / B&B Gallery, Sheffield (UK)
2014
WU TANG IS FOR THE CHILDREN / LondonNewcastle Project, London (UK)
SPRING GROUP SHOW / B&B Gallery, Sheffield (UK)
2013
TINY TRIFECTA / Cotton Candy Machine, New York (US)
WINTER GROUP SHOW / B&B Gallery, Sheffield (UK)
2012
SCRATCH 17 / Londonewcastle Project, London (UK)
2011
NIGHT BIRDS / Kenzo Showroom, Paris (FR)
TERRAIN VAGUE / Pilori Museum, Niort (FR)
STREET ART SAVED MY LIFE / C.A.V.E Gallery, Los Angeles (US)
2010
NEVER JUDGE / Stolen Space, London (UK)
SUMMER GROUP SHOW / Stolen Space, London (UK)
2009
FLYING EYEBALL / Gallery 27, London (UK)
SEVEN STYLES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS / APG Works, Sheffield (UK)
2008
STELLA DORE GROUP SHOW / Stella Dore Gallery, London (UK)
BROTHERS IN ARMS / Mini Gallery, Belo Horizonte (BR)
2007
ALTERNATIVITY / Truman Brewery, London (UK)
BESTIAL / Iguapop Gallery, Barcelona (ES)
REFILL SEVEN / MTV Gallery, Sydney (AU)
2006
HIS LIFE IS FULL OF MIRACLES / Site Gallery, Sheffield (UK)
2005
PICTURE THIS / Bargehouse, London (UK)
GIRLS / Myymälä 2 Gallery, Helsinki (FI)
2004
THE BIG DRAW / Millennium Gallery, Sheffield (UK)
GRAPHIC / Fredericks & Freiser Gallery, New York (US)
APPLICATION / Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (AU)
2003
BASEFIELD / The Commons, Melbourne (AU)
SEXPO / Hixept Gallery, Grenoble (FR)
2001
GRAFFITI: CONCRETE OR WALLPAPER? / Swiss Embassy, London (UK)
1998
GRAFFITI BASTARDS 2 / Custard Factory, Birmingham (UK)
1996
GRAFFITI BASTARDS / Custard Factory, Birmingham (UK)
DISCOGRAPHY
2024
KID ACNE / Haunted Codex (Invisible Spies) cassette Ep
2023
KID ACNE / Hauntology Codes (Lex) Lp
2022
KID ACNE / Zep Tepi Flex (Lewis Recordings) cassette Ep
2021
KID ACNE / Null And Void (Lewis Recordings) Lp
2020
KID ACNE / Fresh To Death (Invisible Spies) cassette Ep
2019
KID ACNE / Have A Word (Lex) Lp
2018
MONGRELS / Over Eggin’ It (Invisible Spies) 7″
2017
MONGRELS / Attack The Megalith (Invisible Spies) 12″ Ep
2016
MONGRELS / Attack The Monolith (Invisible Spies) Lp
MONGRELS x BURGUNDY BLOOD / In The Pop Wilderness (Invisible Spies) cassette Ep
2015
MONGRELS / You Dig Raps? (Invisible Spies) 7″
MONGRELS / Low Budget, High Concept (Invisible Spies) 10″ Ep
2007
KID ACNE / Romance Ain’t Dead (Lex / EMI) Lp
KID ACNE / Romance Ain’t Beats (Lex / EMI) Lp
KID ACNE / Worst Luck (Lex / EMI) 7″ / 12″
KID ACNE / Sliding Doors (Lex / EMI) 7″ / 12″
KID ACNE / Eddy Fresh (Lex / EMI) 7″ / 12″
2004
KID ACNE / Reality Raps (Invisible Spies) 12″ Ep
KID ACNE / Acne Instrumentals (Invisible Spies) 12″ Ep
2003
KID ACNE / Council Pop (Invisible Spies) Lp
KID ACNE / Radio Music / Hooligan 78 (Invisible Spies) 12″
KID ACNE / Zub-Zub Rockerz (Electro Caramel) 7″
2002
KID ACNE / Regarde Kid Acne (Invisible Spies) 7″
MONGRELS / Fresh Arrangements (Invisible Spies) 7″
TOAH DYNAMIC / Cops Hate Our Love (Invisible Spies) Lp
2001
KID ACNE / Rap Traffic (Invisible Spies) Lp
KID ACNE / Squirrel Hunters (Invisible Spies) 7″
2000
TOAH DYNAMIC / Movement (Invisible Spies) Lp
TOAH DYNAMIC / Harvest Festival (Invisible Spies) 7″ Ep
TOAH DYNAMIC / Son of A Copper (Invisible Spies) 7″ Ep
1997
MONGRELS / Slignshots (C.U Next Tuesday) 7″
1996
TOAH DYNAMIC / Hip-Hop Gymkhana (C.U Next Tuesday) 7″ Ep
FANZINES / SELF PUBLISHING
2014
CALL TO ARMS / Edition of 500
2012
STAND & DELIVER / Edition of 200
COLOUR ME BAD Vol. 2 / Edition of 200
2011
WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS / Edition of 150
COLOUR ME BAD Vol. 1 / Edition of 100
2010
STABBY WOMEN / Edition of 250
2009
SMOKE & MIRRORS / Edition of 100
2001
ZEBRA FACE / Edition of 1000
1996
VELCRO GRASS #2 / Edition of 50
ZEBRA FACE / Edition of 100
VELCRO GRASS #3 / Edition of 50
1995
VELCRO GRASS #1 / Edition of 50
SELECTED GROUP PUBLICATIONS
2017
BURN CITY – Melbourne’s Painted Streets / Hardie Grant
2016
CONTEMPORARY STREET GRAPHICS / International Design Network
L’ART SE RUE / H’artpon Les Editions
THE ART OF REBELLION 4 / Publikat
2015
STREET MESSAGES / Dokument Press
2013
IT’S A STICK UP / Laurence King
HAPPY GRAFFITI / Cassell
2012
OISEAUX DE NUIT / Images en Manoeuvres Editions
WE OWN THE NIGHT / Rizzoli
THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF STREET ART / Robinson
2011
THE 3D ART BOOK / Prestel
BEHIND THE ZINES – Self-Publishing Culture / Gestalten
STREET ART – The Best Urban Art From Around The World / Michael O’Mara Books
REINVENTING SCREENPRINTING / Roto Vision
2010
STREET ART NEW YORK / Prestel
NINJA TUNE – 20 Years of Beats & Pieces / Black Dog Publishing
I AM PLASTIC TOO / Kid Robot
ART OF REBELLION 3 / Publikat
2007
BOOK ART – Innovation in Book Design / Rotovision
2006
ALL ALLURE / Gestalten
ART OF REBELLION 2 / Publikat
2005
WARP – Labels Unlimited / Black Dog Publishing
KASKAD / Robert Horne
2004
STREET LOGOS / Thames & Hudson
GRAFFITI WORLD – Street Art From Five Continents / Thames & Hudson
1999
SCRAWL – Dirty Graphics & Strange Characters / Booth-Clibborn Editions
1996
SCENES FROM THE INSIDE / Drat & Blast