Darren John (born 28 April 1987) is a London-based artist and image-maker whose primary concern as an artist is the value of creative imagination. John has exhibited extensively since 2009 and had his debut solo show ''Portal'' which took place at ''Proof Gallery'' London in March 2016. Alongside his personal art practice, Darren is a founder and lead artist a
Absolutely Studio
- a creative studio dedicated to artistic practice and painted application. The studio has painted works on behalf of

Sue Webster Timothy Noble (born 1966) and Susan Webster (born 1967), are British artists who work as a collaborative duo. They are associated with the post-YBA generation of artists. Early lives and careers Noble and Webster attended fine art foundation ...

Tristan Eaton Tristan Eaton (1978) is an American artist. Primarily known for his toy designs and street art murals, Eaton is also a graphic designer and illustrator. Early life Eaton was born in Hollywood, California, in 1978. He moved to New York City at 20 ...

and many other notable artist and designers. Darren John Fourth-Portal

John is a dedicated skateboarder and has contributed multiple times to the

Long Live Southbank Long Live Southbank, commonly known as LLSB, is a non-profit organisation that successfully campaigned against the redevelopment of the Southbank Undercroft skateboarding spot at the Southbank Centre site in London, England. The organisation is ...

campaign to preserve the undercroft skate spot at

South bank The South Bank is an entertainment and commercial district in central London, next to the River Thames opposite the City of Westminster. It forms a narrow strip of riverside land within the London Borough of Lambeth (where it adjoins Alber ...

. One such occasion was representing ''LLSB'' at the

Royal Academy of Arts The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its purpo ...

, producing artwork inspired by 70s California to coincide with their exhibition of works by

Richard Diebenkorn Richard Diebenkorn (April 22, 1922 – March 30, 1993) was an American painter and printmaker. His early work is associated with abstract expressionism and the Bay Area Figurative Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. In the late 1960s he bega ...

and in particular his ''Ocean Park'' series of works.

Style

John's bold landscape appropriates the iconography of the cartoon with a visual language that aims to channel the mind set of creativity in all its spontaneity. His compositions are meticulous in detail and precise in their construction.

Solo exhibitions

*“Form + Beyond” , 2017 Clerkenwell Design Week, London, UK *"Parallel" , 2016 Moniker Art Fair, London, UK *“Parallel” , 2016

Boxpark Boxpark is a food and retail park made out of refitted shipping containers in Britain. It was founded by Roger Wade, who described it as the "world's first pop-up mall". The first Boxpark was launched in Shoreditch in 2011, another was buil ...

, London, UK * “Parallel” , 2016 Upstairs Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent, UK * "Portal" , 2016 Proof Gallery, London, UK. Solo Show. * "Same But Different" , 2014 The Graffiti Life Gallery, London, UK. Two-man Solo Show.

Group exhibitions

*2020 **"Keith Haring: Radiant Gambit" , World Chess Hall of Fame, St. Louis, USA **"Creativity Under Quarantine" , Online exhibition
creativityunderquarantine.com
*2019 **Folklore, Damn Fine Print, Dublin, Ireland **Hyper-Colour-Pop-Culture, Alon Zakaim Fine Art, London, UK **Spring Auction, Menier Gallery, London, UK **Good Day, Stour Space, London, UK *2018 **Painted Pieces, World Chess Hall of Fame, St. Louis, USA *2017 **Summer Showcase, Creative Debuts, London, UK **Brick(2)Brick, The Brick Gallery, Sheffield, UK **Christmas Bizarre, Well Hung, London, UK **Good Day, Stour Space, London, UK *2016 and prior **"Pick Me Up" , 2016

Somerset House Somerset House is a large Neoclassical complex situated on the south side of the Strand in central London, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The Georgian era quadrangle was built on the site of a Tudor palace ("O ...

, London, UK. Group Show. **"Stay Sharp" , 2016 Station Co., Denver, USA. Group Show. **"Fore" , 2015 The Winemakers Club, London. Group Show. **"The Good Boys" , 2015 Zap Arts Gallery, Liverpool, UK. Group Show.

Lectures

* 2020 UAL MA Illustration & Visual Media, London, UK * 2020 Cambridge School of Visual & Performing Arts, Cambridge, UK

References

External links

* Official Website (https://www.iamdarrenjohn.com/) *London Mural Artist website (https://absolutelystudio.com/) British artists Living people 1987 births {{UK-artist-stub