Born in Manchester, 1973. Lives and works in London
Tree at Sunset, 2012, oil on linen

Nigel Cooke’s most recent series of works is suspended between abstraction and representation, depth and surface, the micro and the macro. These works combine colorful, gestural brushstrokes, human figures and fantastic creatures. The viewer’s gaze moves from the highly-detailed, underlying layers of these compositions to their surfaces, which are composed of thick layers of paint. Despite the emphasis on abstraction, moreover, one can easily identify the actions performed by the represented figures.
In Tree at Sunset, Cooke combines several painterly styles including Expressionism, Surrealism, Symbolism, and Pop Art, while bringing together abstract gestures and figurative, realist details. The female figures are fused with fluid brushstrokes, remaining open to the viewer’s interpretation. Cooke’s canvases are dominated by warm shades of red and clearly visible brushstrokes, which create a sense of motion. Together, these elements give rise to scenes that appear to be related to the world realm of dreams and of the unconscious.