Rowan Newton (born 1982) is a London-based contemporary artist who specialises in bold figurative paintings. His urban style is inspired by the inner-city landscape in which he grew up. His characters are strongly influenced by the image-conscious worlds of music, fashion and advertising.
Rowan trained in illustration at the University of Westminster. After graduating he decided he wanted a bigger platform on which to showcase his drawings, and began working on canvas. The transition was successful and his first solo show was a sell out.
Rowan's figures are drawn on bright shapes of solid colour that are loud and unforgiving. He surrounds these shapes with clean black lines using a type of pen often used by graffiti artists, emphasising his work's relationship to the urban environment.
Rowan's highly graphical technique gives his subjects a very modern, edgy feel, though the acts and emotions he captures - ambition, pride, narcissism, seduction, voyeurism - are timeless. His work has been described as 'pure image' that demands our attention as insistently as the consumer imagery that surrounds us.
EXHIBITIONS
The Affordable Art Fair Spring Collection, London 2007
Solo show, The Union, Autumn 2006
The Urban Art Fair, 2006
The Urban Art Fair, 2005
SUBSCRIBE!
To stay in touch with Rowan's latest work and exhibitions, subscribe to the GV Art email updates at www.gvart.co.uk
