Guy Allen. Etchings

Guy Allen is an experimental print-maker bringing a contemporary approach to the historic art of etchings. ‘Etchings’ will be the first solo show in London by this emerging British artist and a collection of his etchings and original prints to date.

Born in 1987 and a graduate of Central St. Martins in London, Guy Allen first discovered the printing press in Paris at the École Nationale Supérieure Des Beaux-Arts in 2010. He has been fascinated by the traditional art of printing techniques ever since and expertly brings an original and contemporary approach to this age old art of print-making.

As Guy explains, ‘The etchings process has been exactly the same for 400 years, yet it is still relevant to the contemporary art world and modern day artistic environment. I am fascinated by this combination of the old and the new.’

With distinctive style and striking ability, Guy continually experiments with his approach; combining etchings with lithography, linocut, aquatint and gold-leaf, adding colour, texture and a more tonal quality to the work. It is a highly skilled technique and one that Guy has proved himself to be extremely adept at. In May 2014 he was accepted for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, the largest open submission exhibition in the world, for the second consecutive year.

Having quickly established a reputation for exceptional draftsmanship, above all Guy credits his artistic inspiration to his Norfolk roots; from his animal subjects to the more abstract forms, patterns and compositions scattered within and around the landscape.

In 2012 Guy trained as an assistant print maker at Curwen Studios, Cambridge and is now based at his studios in Brixton at the Artichoke Print Studio.