The tactility of the hook of a pop song or the ribbon of an idiomatic phrase tows a line parallel with my intentions as a painter. My engagement is anchored around an honest attempt to articulate nuanced feeling.
Born in 1994 (Worcester U.K) Ed is currently based in Plymouth (UK).
'Ed Burkes wants to slow things down. He puts into practice various pictorial and textual devices to slowdown the comprehension of the work, holding you there in mental gymnastics while your eyes scan the painting past the three second average that museum professionals call grazing. With a nod to George Baselitz’s upside-down paintings, and emboldened by artists Rose Wylie and Mary T. Smith before him, he flips text emblazoned across his paintings on its head, then around corners, along arms and legs, squashes it into corners, makes and corrects spelling mistakes, breaks up words and forces you to put them back together...A flaneur of sorts, Ed’s texts are absorbed from his experiences...He puts his money where his mouth is, practising his own slowing down, looking at the details... Phrases borrowed from shop window fronts on the walk to the studio, plucked from full sentences distilled to their essence. Short active words that punch...Now the eyes wander across the canvas, where clashing patterns, friezes and decorative elements fight for attention. Stop and take it in.’
(Excerpt from writing by Anna Bromwich titled ‘Slowing Down’)
PUBLICATIONS (please click hyperlinks for more information)
2020 DANDELION Catalogue: featuring 'Slowing Down' by Anna Bromwich
PODCAST with Derby Museums 'In Focus: Ed Burkes talks to Janine Derbyshire'
https://soyoungmagazine.com/so-young-artist-series-5-ed-burkes/
2019 Jonathan Vickers Fine Art Award interview with Mall Galleries
2016 Saatchi Invest In Art: Edition X: UK Artists
EXHIBITIONS
2021 (UPCOMING) The Mall Galleries, London (January)
2020
DANDELION, Derby museum & Art Gallery, Derby
London Art Fair, VioletsAreBlue Gallery, London
2019 London Art Fair, Arusha Gallery, London
2018 Kris Day Presents: Paper Cuts, Saatchi Gallery, London
Veil, Arusha Gallery, Edinburgh
L.A. Summer , Arusha Gallery, Edinburgh
London Art Fair, Arusha Gallery, London
2017 Manchester Art Fair, Arusha Gallery
Contemporary Visions VII, BEERS London, London
FBA Futures 2017, Mall Galleries, London
2016 Saatchi Invest in Art - The Other Art Fair, London
Falmouth Showcase - Underdog Gallery, London
Fine Art Degree Show, Falmouth university
AWARDS
2019 Jonathan Vickers Fine Art Award
2016 Wilhemina Barns-Graham Travel to Italy Award
Falmouth School of Art Purchase Prize
Bloomberg New Contemporaries shortlisted Artist
EDUCATION
2016 BA Fine art (First Class Hons) - Falmouth University