Ashwan

Ashwan was born in 1971 in Liverpool, United Kingdom.
He lives and works in Barcelona, Spain.

The British artist Ashwan has lived and worked in Barcelona for many years. After studying fine arts, especially classical painting, in Newcastle and at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (USA), the artist developed his own style – strongly influenced by street art and hip hop music.

Ashwan often combines different media in his series of works and combines street art methods with classic art history techniques. In his current works, on canvas and paper, he refers to the palimpsest technique. In ancient times and later in the Middle Ages, there was still a great shortage of writing materials. In order to be able to write on paper or papyrus several times, the recipient erased the message after receiving it in order to use the writing surface for the reply. However, this always left behind pale residues of the erased text, so that after frequent use, during which the paper was turned over each time, the surface had several layers of pale residues. The artist uses this antique technique. Using spray paint, gold, aluminum and copper leaf, he creates works with multi-layered lines of text taken from the titles or verses of classic hip-hop songs.

Education

1994

Bachelor (with honors) from the University of Northumbria, Newcastle, United Kingdom

1999

Master of Fine Arts from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, USA


Solo Exhibitions (selection)

2024

UNTITLED, double solo show with Jeremy Holmes, Galerie Isabelle Lesmeister, Regensburg, Germany

2023

Today Was A Good Day, Galerie Isabelle Lesmeister, Regensburg, Germany

2019

Sample Culture, BienCuadrado Gallery, Barcelona, Spain

2018-2019

I Like The Way You Talk, Galerie Isabelle Lesmeister, Regensburg, Germany

2017

Used To Do It Out In The Park, BienCuadrado, Barcelona, Spain

2015

Swab, Art Fair, 3 Punts Galeria, Barcelona, Spain

Palimpsest, Zap, Liverpool, United Kingdom

2014

Art Madrid, 3 Punts Galeria, Madrid, Spain

Art Karlsruhe 2014, 3 Punts Galeria, Karlsruhe, Germany

2011

Royal College of Art, London, United Kingdom

2010

London Elephant Parade, London, United Kingdom

Dukes Oak, Cheshire, United Kingdom

2009

Loop Festival, Video Art, Barcelona, Spain

2008

Firbob and Peacok, Knutsford, United Kingdom

Videoakt, Video Festival, Berlín, Germany

Group Exhibitions (selection)

2022

MIND MAPS, Galerie Isabelle Lesmeister, Regensburg

2021

DOGGED, BienCuadrado Gallery, Barcelona, Spain

Interruption, with Nico Sawatzki, Galerie Isabelle Lesmeister, Regensburg, Germany

2020

Sprayed, with Katharina Grosse and Nico Sawatzki, Galerie Isabelle Lesmeister, Regensburg, Germany

Urvanity, BienCuadrado, Madrid, Spain

2019

Same Same but Different, with Robert Longo, A.R. Penck, Alex Katz and others, Galerie Isabelle Lesmeister, Regensburg, Germany

2018

Art Milan, 3Punts Galeria, Milano, Italy

2008

Xerxes Fine Art, 2 Man Show, London, United Kingdom

2015

Bites of Future, 3 Punts Galeria. Barcelona, Spain

2014

Abnormal Activity, 3 Punts Galeria. Barcelona, Spain

2013

A Rich Stash, A Nova Incredible. Believe Inn, Chicago, USA

2012

Dukes Oak, Cheshire, United Kingdom

2024

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