Liam de Frinse was born in Belfast in 1949. He studied art at Belfast Art College under John Luke while serving an indentured apprenticeship at Harland and Wolff’s shipyard. After taking degrees at Queens University of Belfast he lectured in Political Science for a time before devoting himself full-time to art.

Liam de Frinse is primarily known as a painter but is also respected installation artist, sculptor, performance poet and writer. He was nominated for the Turner Prize in 1993 and in 1997 he represented Ireland at the International Celtic Festival in Lorient.

He often explores Celtic Themes through his work but always in a contemporary framework. His work deals with passion desire, fantasy and identity from a visceral male perspective. Liam describes his fundamental inspiration as being a fusion of the Irish landscape (industrial and rural) with his own personal mental landscapes.