Jonathan Aiken
Works
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The Italian Job IIJonathan AikenView more details -
The Italian JobJonathan AikenView more details
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The Ulster Racer, 2017Jonathan AikenView more details
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SupersonicJonathan AikenView more details
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No. 37Jonathan AikenView more details
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Harley XR750Jonathan AikenView more details
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"Greycap" Johnie JohnsonJonathan AikenView more details
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101 ExpressionsJonathan AikenView more details
Biography
Jonathan Aiken was born in Lisburn in 1965. He was educated at Methodist College in Belfast, and received formal training in architecture & design at Queen's University.
Aiken’s style is influenced by the work of Andy Warhol and the overall Pop Art movement. His unique pieces have an original aesthetic, which are characterised by both skill and concept. He creates narratives with reference to popular culture, visually interpreting some of our most identifiable icons. Whether depicting a seemingly mundane object, or the glamour of celebrity, the fusion of striking colour with intriguing texture is symbolic of Aikens work.
Aiken’s work has been selected for various exhibitions throughout Ireland, including; the Bass Contemporary Arts Touring Exhibition, the Boyle Arts Festival, The Royal Ulster Academy, and The Royal Hibernian Academy.
He states: “I work on different materials in sequences of layers, colour and texture. Using a paintbrush, pallet knife or paint rags, I push the paint, form an edge and sometimes scratch it off, reworking back to the surface and reapplying the paint. However, my paintings are not simply about the physical laying of paint. They start with the preparation of an idea. I look for the meaning behind it and the different levels it can operate on. My work is based on icons or images that we all relate to. I record what I feel is meaningful, looking back; I look for relevant references that have remained in our consciousness”.
Aiken’s style is influenced by the work of Andy Warhol and the overall Pop Art movement. His unique pieces have an original aesthetic, which are characterised by both skill and concept. He creates narratives with reference to popular culture, visually interpreting some of our most identifiable icons. Whether depicting a seemingly mundane object, or the glamour of celebrity, the fusion of striking colour with intriguing texture is symbolic of Aikens work.
Aiken’s work has been selected for various exhibitions throughout Ireland, including; the Bass Contemporary Arts Touring Exhibition, the Boyle Arts Festival, The Royal Ulster Academy, and The Royal Hibernian Academy.
He states: “I work on different materials in sequences of layers, colour and texture. Using a paintbrush, pallet knife or paint rags, I push the paint, form an edge and sometimes scratch it off, reworking back to the surface and reapplying the paint. However, my paintings are not simply about the physical laying of paint. They start with the preparation of an idea. I look for the meaning behind it and the different levels it can operate on. My work is based on icons or images that we all relate to. I record what I feel is meaningful, looking back; I look for relevant references that have remained in our consciousness”.