As we head into a new year we have put together a selection of some of the best artists you should be aware of. Engaging with new artists can be an excellent source of inspiration for our own artwork. Alternatively, art can simply be a way of understanding emotions or seeing others’ points of view in visual form. Whether they are considered one of the best new contemporary artists on the scene today, or already established professionals who are ready to take on the next chapter of their careers, here are some of our favourites.
Brook Hsu
We start off by highlighting Brook Hsu. Hailing from Pullman in Washington, USA, her incredible work has been displayed all across the world from shows in London and New York to LA and Beijing and many, many more. Her exhibited work includes both solo projects and group exhibitions.
Having explored different textures and styles over time, including ink, oil paints, as well as mesmerising carpet work Hsu is a fascinating artist. Particularly of note was when she used a combination of shellac ink in order to produce the highly acclaimed “The Journey” in 2021.
Brook Hsu herself has explained that her work is often coming from her own observations, sometimes from film, literature as well as art history, often questioning current definitions of abstractions and figuration.
Haley Josephs
Haley Josephs is already known within the art world for her creation of dream-like realities on the canvas. However, with another solo show on the horizon in 2022, it is clear her stocks are set to rise again.
Her work takes inspiration from the female experience of life, entwined with a psychedelic spin and an abstract touch. Often displayed through large-scale oil painting, Haley Joseph’s work is often the centre of attention, drawing in your focus through a bold blend of mysterious imagery and a hallucinatory colour palette. Definitely an artist to watch.
Qualeasha Wood
Qualeasha Wood adds a technological spin on otherwise extremely traditional forms of media. For example, she has previously produced a mash-up of catholic symbolism with the introduction of webcam and otherwise controversial forms of media in her piece “The [Black] Madonna/Whore Complex” in 2021.
Her bold blend of textile works explores the visual representations of black feminine icons within the internet culture, often drawing inspiration from cultural aspects such as Queerness, femininity and blackness often with a sense of humour and unpredictability.
Khari Turner
Khari Turner’s art constantly sees a mix of oil and water, for which he uses certain opposing chemical structures in order for him to be able to procure these extremely intricate and detailed pieces. He taps into history, more specifically Black history and his very own heritage, through his art, making him one of the best new painters for you to keep an eye on as we head into 2022.
This young artist is storming onto the scene with his very own solo museum exhibition, scheduled for May this year, where he will display his brilliant work at the Museum of Wisconsin Art over a 2 day period. Not to mention another solo show in Europe, shown at the CFHILL in Stockholm.
Sarah Zapata
Sarah Zapata is a Peruvian-American artist who primarily works with fabrics in order to create bold fabric sculptures that are bursting with colours of modern contemporary art and the personality of her heritage. Her work often consists of abstract sculptures and latch hooked rugs, aimed to challenge the perception of craft art being considered ‘women’s work’ within the industry.
Zapata is often inspired by her south American heritage, as well as a number of other societal and cultural issues of systems of power, cultural relativism, Queerness, as well as the acknowledgement that everyone has their own unique experiences of discrimination and oppression, recognising that anything that could be used to marginalise people should be openly understood amongst society.
For more of our favourite artists and where to find them, browse our featured artist blog pages for a wide range of styles and mediums. You never know which artist you will identify with or which piece of art will strike a chord with your creative side.
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