Gege Hirst

Bio

GeGe Hirst is a British contemporary artist whose work explores the point where abstraction givesway to human presence.

After almost two decades as a registered architect, Hirst turned her attention to painting, exchangingthe certainty of design for a process of discovery. Working primarily in acrylic, she builds eachpainting through layers of colour and gesture.

Rather than beginning with a predetermined figure,she allows each painting to evolve until a human presence feels inevitable.Her paintings are driven as much by atmosphere as by form, balancing abstraction with the humanfigure. Rather than portraying specific individuals, Hirst creates paintings that leave room for viewersto bring their own interpretation

Statement

Colour is where every painting begins for me. It draws me into places that words alone cannot reach. Architecture taught me to think about how humans move through physical space.

Painting has made me question how we move through emotional space. I never begin with the intention of painting a person. Every painting starts with colour, movement and atmosphere, and I respond to what begins to emerge. Sometimes a figure appears, sometimes it doesn't. When it does, it feels as though it has found its own place within the painting rather than being imposed upon it.

I'm not interested in illustrating answers. I'm interested in creating paintings that don't close the conversation. I want there to be enough space for viewers to bring their own memories, emotions and experiences to the work, so that each painting can mean something different to everyone who spends time with it.

At the heart of my practice is a belief that we are greater than the sum of our parts. In a world that increasingly rewards machinelike productivity over human experience, I hope my paintings offer a moment to pause, look a little longer, and reconnect with the richness of being human

Artworks by Gege Hirst