The Violent, Abstract Art of Ian Francis

Born in 1979 in Bristol, Ian Francis is a multimedia artist whose social consciousness helps envision the what-ifs of being inundated by the media. With inspiration from modern computer games and many more, Francis has established a distinctive presence in the art scenes of London and New York City, where he exhibits regularly.

Art in the ’90s

Ian Francis’ Art Style

Francis’ art mixes the abstract with approaches from painting and drawing. But with layers and contrast, he forfeits the textures of traditional paint and canvas to embrace multi-dimensionality and distortion. On the one hand, we have bouncy colors that accentuate the scenes and characters, and on the other, there is the void. Oftentimes, this is a background of immense darkness that surrounds its subject like a vast black abyss.

With the primary basis for these experiments still being oil painting, Francis then incorporates acrylics, charcoal, and ink. The glitchy way in which things appear attempts to reflect a mass-media-bombarded social reality. Among them, acrylic gels constitute a notable design element. Resulting in a smooth, vivid surface, the medium mimics a high-definition screen or monitor. Another mass media-related artistic device involves glossy paper. Artworks produced with the latter recall surfaces of paper magazines.

Violence and Eroticism

Cinema and symbolism are some sources where Francis finds his inspiration. These works of popular culture help the artist develop a unique viewpoint on contemporary issues humanity faces. For example, his exhibition Artificial Winter at the Los Angeles Corey Helford Gallery showcased some of his environmental and political concerns.

The half-dressed human figures, some moving, others reclining, were arranged as group portraits for Francis to convey his message. Parts of them are intimate, others hedonistic, and some others violent. Despite the diversity, all these figures are recognizable and relatable. They represent everyday people who tend to be young and beautiful. They also remind us of themes explored in literature, such as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Beautiful and Damned. The same clash of beauty, sex, destruction, and death was also in the foreground of the exhibition The Chosen Form of Your Destroyer at Lazarides Gallery in London, UK.

One to Watch

To conclude, Ian Francis is an artist to watch, as he constantly finds a fresh way of visualizing contemporary issues and mindsets. His style, reminiscent of Abstract Expressionism and marrying Symbolism with a touch of dark Surrealism, would resonate with lovers of modern and contemporary art.