MARCUS AITKEN
ABOUT
Press:
Exhibitions:
- Vault Project Residency, Whitcomb street - 2nd March - 24th April 2021
- Tom Cox Gallery, group show, London - 12th April - 16th May 2021
- New Tenants, Virtual exhibition, London - 1st March 2021
- Diverse Voices, Salt Lake city, Utah - 11th February 2021
- Fresh Perspectives - London Paint Club - 4th Jan 2021
- Auction Collective, London - 9th December 2020
- Secret7 , Now Gallery - 14th October 2020
- Soft Punk solo show - 16th November 2020
- Art on a postcard, London - 5th November 2020
- Anonymous Heart Project - 1st November 2020
- Gander Gallery - Visions Exhibition, October 2020
- The Other Art Fair, Online studios, June 2020
- Leeds Summer Group Show, Online, May 2020
- Art Pistol Group show, Glasgow, January 2020
- Floorr Magazine EXH01, Online, November 2019
- Fresco Gallery group show, Portugal, September 2019
- The Other Art Fair, Victoria House, London, October 2019
- The Piglrm, solo show, London, August 2019
- Sleep & Eat, Live Painting, Olympia London, June 2019
- Crystal Palace Open House, London, March 2019
- The Other Art Fair, Truman Brewery, London, March 2019
- Control Exhibition - Curator and Exhibitor, London, August 2018
- Deptford X art festival, London, August 2018
- Bog Standard, The strand, London, June 2018
- Homo Promo, Old Street, March 2018
Marcus is a contemporary artist living and working in South London. Known for his gestural paintings, Marcus uses a combination of layering, distressing and blending to present a multifaceted surface to his work. His background in design has developed his artistic style creating cutting edge abstract works.
He has shown in exhibitions throughout the UK including Portugal, Italy, Greece and the US. His work has been featured by various publications including Schön! Magazine, Art Plugged, Saatchi Online, Soft Punk Magazine, 9/10 Magazine, Trebuchet Magazine, Condé Nast and Culture Trip. He was also named as one of Saatchi Art's top 20 emerging artists to watch in 2020.
“Marcus’ rigorous design background shines through in his creative process—building up and distressing multiple layers of pigment on wood panels and canvas, and then applying expressive brushstrokes—ultimately yielding expertly balanced and dramatic compositions.”
– Rebecca Wilson, Chief Curator & VP Saatchi Art
"Aitken impulsively captures raw movements in his work in an exploratory style that dictates his tempo. He is also a drummer in a post-punk band and isn’t one to rest easily, embracing the constant energy that flows through him and feeding it into his art"."
- Trebuchet Magazine
"Produced on industrial plywood with the artist’s signature, probing style — using brighter tones to underscore more sinister, muted colours — Now + Never stands as a coherent body of work from one of London’s most promising young artists."
- Jacob Barnes, Editor of Soft Punk Magazine
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“For me, it’s all about the physicality of painting and connecting with my materials, tools and surfaces in different ways. I am interested in repurposing materials and recreating new narratives from old objects. I paint to capture precious moments and movements - I suppose there is an element of performance when I work as the output is very raw, impulsive and intuitive".
Marcus regularly exhibits his work and has commissioned works for commercial spaces and individual collectors. To keep up with the latest exhibitions, art fairs and news, follow Marcus on Instagram @marcusaitken_
Education:
2009-2012
UAL, London College of Communication, Illustration, London, UK
2008-2009
Camberwell College of Arts, Foundation Course, London, UK