In today’s evolving creative world, technology often dominates our visual experiences. Yet in the face of this, tactile forms persist – where painting remains a timeless and irreplaceable art form. Inspired by this, we’re bringing you 10 paintings from the Aesthetica Art Prize that invite viewers to immerse themselves in the artist’s vision. From hyperreal landscapes of the Arctic by Nicholas Jones to self-portraits that evoke the Old Masters by Eddy Greenwood, these works enrich our understanding of the world around us. Amidst the noise of the digital age, they encourage us to reconnect with colour, perspective and texture.
Nicholas Jones’ experience in the Arctic profoundly influenced him. The resulting collection of paintings provides viewers with a rare yet palpable connection to the rapidly changing polar landscape.
Closer pays attention to detailed observation and sensuality. Moses executes larger than life images that deal with fragments of life on the micro level: the portrayal of an elusive touch or feeling.
In collaboration with Lucy Cordes Engelman, Mullen uses painting to depict synaesthesia. Every number from 0 to 9 equals a specific colour, where every number beyond is a composite of those colours.
Loz Atkinson is a multidisciplinary artist exploring intersections of science, nature, anthropology and the cosmos. The Garden of Cosmic Delights is provocative yet hopeful, full of universal depth.
A blank sheet of paper is an ordinary yet pristine material, in our midst but overlooked. Xin Su, employs the technique of folding to reveal appearances whilst maintaining the paper’s original state.
The intricate patterns in Trapped Light speak of transience; a fractional second’s difference would cause radical changes. Figure and light are enmeshed together in water and preserved in this piece.
Lord examines perception, with an interest in the way that the eye is drawn to and interprets certain points in an image. Send Me On My Way is based on observations from underneath Eastbourne Pier.
Armando Cabba uses the self-portrait to capture the transience of identity. Even a recurring emotion takes place in a different context each time like “an intimate discourse with a passing persona.”
Nienhus’ work longs to be elsewhere. The artist approaches the concept of unfulfilled desire as a condition in which Heimweh (desire for the known) and Fernweh (longing for the unknown) intertwine.
Eddy Greenwood’s inspiration comes from Old Masters, such as Anthony van Dyck, Diego Velàzquez and Titian. The Lace Collar is reminiscent of 17th century Dutch portraits of noblemen.
The Aesthetica Art Prize Exhibition runs 16 February – 21 April 2024 and is a testament to shared creativity in a time of immense change. Tickets can be booked in advance on the York Art Gallery website.
To learn more about the 2024 Aesthetica Art Prize Shortlist and Longlist, click here.
The Aesthetica Art Prize is open for entries until 31 August. To find out more, click here.
Image Credit: Nicholas Jones, Greenlandic Dawn
