Chris Orr studied at Ravensbourne College of Art from 1959 to 1963, Hornsey College of Art from 1963 to 1964 and the Royal College of Art, London, from 1964 to 1967. He then taught at Cardiff College of Art, Central St Martins, London and at the Royal College of Art, London. He has been Professor of Printmaking at the Royal College of Art since 1998.

Chris Orr has had a number of solo exhibitions, including the Serpentine Gallery, (1971), the Whitechapel Gallery, London and the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, (1976). International one-man shows include Galleria Grafica, Tokyo, Japan, in 1980, Jay Street Gallery, New York, USA, in 1983 and Print Guild, Melbourne, Australia in 1987.

Orr was made a fellow of the Royal College of Art in 1985, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers in 1988 and a Royal Academician in 1995. He lives and works in Buckingham and London. His work is held in a number of public collections, including: Arts Council of Great Britain, British Council, Royal Academy of Arts, Museum of London, Victoria & Albert Museum, Science Museum, The British Museum, Government Art Collection and Tate Gallery.