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Elliott Packham
Website:
'@elliottpackham_art
'@ElliottPackhamArt
Block 7, 66.5x133cm, Acrylic on Board, 2022
Modernhaus, 135x105cm, Acrylic on Board, 2021
Interbau, 72x72cm, Acrylic on Board, 2023
Biography
Elliott’s paintings are inspired by the structural forms of mid 20th century modernist architecture. He enjoys modernist buildings as they are unfussy, clean and minimal with no ‘decoration’ to speak of; everything that is seen serves a purpose.
Elliott focuses on capturing the lines and shapes within a building’s façade, as well as shadows created by the natural light. Also, despite his work consisting entirely of geometric shapes, he still implies the presence of human occupants by including the irregularities they create in the building’s façade in the form of curtains, blinds, or other objects visible through the windows.
By taking the building out of its context, the viewer is confronted with the imposing form of the structure alone. This transforms the work from simply just being a building, to instead being a semi-abstract pattern of shapes and colours that has no beginning or end.
inspiration
Elliott’s inspiration comes from exploring urban areas, taking photographs of the facades of different high-rise structures, and using these as the basis for his paintings. His paintings are inspired by buildings in cities that he’s visited, which include works based on buildings in Amsterdam, Birmingham, Berlin, Bristol and Munich.
Elliott loves the honesty of modernist architecture. By this he means that you can usually gain a good understanding of how the building was constructed just by looking at the exterior, because the form of the structure follows its function. He has always found beauty and satisfaction in simple, clean lines in all manner of disciplines, be that in architecture, graphic design, or interior design. His artwork therefore reflects this aesthetic.
medium
Elliott’s original artworks are large scale pieces (up to 150cm tall). They are made by firstly making a technical drawing of the structure onto an MDF panel, using mechanical pencils, a series of very large rulers and a calculator.
Once the initial drawing is complete, Elliott gradually paints in the hundreds of shapes, using a soft bodied acrylic paint with extensive amounts of masking tape to achieve crisp, straight lines. He uses a colour coding system to keep track of what colour is required for each shape, resulting in a in a very methodical and systematic painting process.
Whilst this very controlled way of producing art might not be everyone’s idea of fun, Elliott enjoys the process as it suits his way of thinking. The method also captures the sharp lines and simple shapes of the buildings that the work is inspired by.