菲利普•艾倫1967年生於倫敦，1987年於倫敦金斯頓大學修讀藝術，1990年就讀於倫敦皇家藝術學院，現於倫敦工作和生活。
艾倫的畫作是憑著他從不間斷的素描研習作成的。他在A5大小的紙張上以氈頭筆記下抽象形體與構圖，並將意念發展為他獨特的繪畫，以油彩木本為主。為了營造透視效果，艾倫往往在作品邊緣處塗上團團顏料，為畫面鑲上了立體畫框。這個做法，打破了傳統繪畫的束縛，使畫面延展到框架以外，並形成一種強大的氣勢灌注到畫作裡。在畫框之內，艾倫清澈澄明的筆觸，描繪了虛渺而千變萬化的幻想世界。
艾倫作品的標題往往看似脫離常規，但卻富有含意。作品《卡特爾費爾托（工作室版本）》（2004）以江湖賣藝者的名字命名。此人為十八世紀末歐洲著名的魔術師，以電力和顯微鏡等仿製出各種科學反應，製造魔術奇觀。作品中心處呈現了卡特爾費爾托式的虛幻感覺。當表演者用上烟幕和詭計來瞞騙觀眾之時，艾倫則以透視錯覺和顏料讓觀者相信畫作並非是平面的。
艾倫曾在多處舉行個展，包括：夏費爾．赫夫肯斯畫廊（布魯塞爾，2007）；米爾頓．凱恩斯畫廊（英格蘭，2006）；克林畫廊（都柏林，2005）；阿普洛奇畫廊（倫敦，2008，2004，2002）；以及PS1 (紐約，2003)。聯展包括「抽象」(米徹爾．因納斯&納殊畫廊，紐約，2007)；英國藝術展VI (2005/06)；「保持積極」（馬里拉當代藝術館，米蘭，意大利，2004）；「Post Flat— 倫敦新藝術」（洛斯畫廊，費城，2003）；「在天堂又一個討厭的日子」（巴達．韋斯學院以及皇家美術學院，倫敦，2002）。
Phillip Allen was born in London in 1967. He studied Fine Art at Kingston University, London in 1987 and later attended the Royal College of Art, London in 1990. He lives and works in London.
Allen’s paintings are borne out of a continuous practice of sketching. He works on a small scale, on A5 paper, using felt pens to produce sketches that chart the inception and development of his abstract forms and arrangements. He then develops these ideas into distinctive paintings, executed predominantly in oil on board. To create an illusion of perspective, Allen often applies thick globules of paint to the borders of the work, creating a 3 dimensional frame to the imagery within. Often these antipasto borders defy the traditional confines of the painting and appear to either expand outside the picture frame or encroach into the picture with an overwhelming presence. Within the borders, Allen’s lucid paint strokes evoke motifs of hallucinatory and kaleidoscopic dream-scapes.
The titles of Allen’s paintings appear unusual but are in fact purposeful in their meaning. Katterfelto (Studio Version) (2004), was named after a travelling performer called Gustavus Katterfelto. He became famous throughout Europe in the late 18th century for being a spectacular illusionist who passed off small scientific reactions, involving electricity and microscopy, as pseudo-magical phenomena. The central area of the painting takes on Katterfelto’s illusionary persona. Where the performer would use smoke screens and trickery to deceive his audience, Allen uses perspective and paint to deceive the viewer to the actual flatness of the surface.
Phillip Allen has had solo shows at Zavier Hufkens, Brussels, 2007; Milton Keynes Gallery, Milton Keynes, England, 2006; Kerlin Gallery, Dublin, 2005; The Approach Gallery, London in 2008, 2004, and 2002; PS1 New York in 2003. Group shows include Abstract, Mitchell, Innes & Nash Gallery, New York, 2007; the British Art Show 6, 2005/06; Stay Positive at Marella Arte Contemporanea, Milan, Italy, 2004; Post Flat - New Art from London, Lock’s Gallery, Philadelphia, 2003; Another Shitty Day in Paradise, Bart Wells Institute, London and the Royal Academy, London, 2002.