Shoreditch Modern is proud to present Benny Watson’s first solo exhibition, SHARDS. Watson is a British artist born in 1998, currently living and working in Birmingham. He creates striking abstract works on canvas and paper with a wide variety of materials including oil sticks, acrylics, and spray paint.

The series of paintings presented by Shoreditch Modern, SHARDS, is centred around the grieving process Watson underwent following the loss of his father and grandmother in the space of one year. The title of the exhibition reflects the impression of feeling broken in sharp pieces when a loved one passes away.

The show also explores the artist’s experience of a tenuous balancing act between dealing with his own emotions and other people’s expectations – perhaps best illustrated in his impressive pieces Juggler and Spinning Plates.

Various contrasting feelings and stages of grief are embodied in his highly-textured works by abstracted figures, symbols, and characters – which he refers to as alter egos.

Some of the emerging artist’s inspirations include prominent figures of abstract expressionism and neo-expressionism (Willem de Kooning, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Cy Twombly…) as well as music from his father’s collection of records (Neil Young, Kate Bush…).