Brutalist inspired art by Elliott Packham
How did your interest in architecture develop?
Having studied architecture at university, my passion for buildings is very evident in my work. When not in my studio I love exploring new urban areas with my camera on the lookout for architecture that might inspire future work. From an early age I’ve always been a perfectionist. I would diligently ensure that no lines were crossed in my colouring book and would instinctively reach for a ruler when asked to draw something. Once I discovered hard edge painting, I knew that it would be my artistic style of choice!
Your inspiration
My work is heavily inspired by modernist architecture and I have a particular passion for the bold structural forms of brutalism, with its clean lines and geometric design. I love the honesty of Brutalist buildings. They are unfussy, clean and minimal with no ‘decoration’ to speak of; everything you see serves a purpose. My paintings attempt to embody this idea by focusing simply on the form of the building as opposed to its detail.
Typical elements of your work
Much like the buildings that inspire them, I like to create bold, imposing paintings with dramatic geometric forms. However although my work is primarily a depiction of a buildings’ form, I also like to imply the presence human occupants by including the irregularities they create in the building’s façade, such as installing different coloured curtains or placing objects that can be seen from the outside. The word that most people use to describe my work is ‘meticulous.’
My work combines painting with mathematics and technical drawing, taking a very long time to produce. Producing art in a very controlled way using rulers, calculators, protractors, set squares and masking tape might not be everyone’s idea of fun, but I get a lot of satisfaction from the precise and clean nature of the result!
What are your priorities right now?
My priority is to build up my portfolio into a body of work that I can use in my own exhibition. I want to continue to push myself to produce challenging designs and make work at an even larger scale!
What do you keep in mind as an artist?
I like to remind myself to just be patient and just enjoy my process of creating art, as this is when I’ll produce my best work. It’s also easy as an artist to worry about what others think of your work, which is often counterproductive, so I try to focus on creating work that I like and am proud of.
What else would you like to say?
Please do check out my website and/or social media if you’re reading this page and like my work! I have a lot of exciting things in the works, so watch this space! Finally a big thank you to the hardedger platform for raising the profile of our artistic style.
Elliott Packham ★ Artist resume
Having studied architecture at university, my work is inspired by a broad range of modernist buildings, although I have a particular passion for the bold structural forms of brutalism, with its clean lines and geometric designs. I work with acrylic paint using a hard-edged painting style, creating large scale pieces based on the facades of different buildings that I’ve visited, photographed and been impressed by.
Thank you, Elliott.
Instagram: @elliottpackham_art
Web: elliottpackham.com
