CONRAD ATKINSON WAS BORN IN CUMBRIA IN 1940 AND GAINED DEGREES FROM CARLISLE COLLEGE OF ART, LIVERPOOL COLLEGE OF ART AND THE ROYAL ACADEMY SCHOOLS. HE HAS RECEIVED INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR HIS INNOVATIVE ART. HE HAS HAD NUMEROUS SOLO AND INTERNATIONAL SHOWS. LAWRENCE RINDER, CURATOR OF THE WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART, OBSERVED: "IT IS THE FORGING TOGETHER OF CONCEPTUALISM AND ACTIVISM TO ART PRACTICE THAT DISTINGUISHES ATKINSON'S WORK AND MAKES IT SUCH AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO 20TH CENTURY ART HISTORY."
ATKINSON HAS HAD MUCH INFLUENCE IN THE USA. HIS FIRST EXHIBITION AT RONALD FELDMAN FINE ART IN NEW YORK IN 1979 CALLED MATERIAL WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR THE CREATION OF "GROUP MATERIAL".