People watching, watching People an exhibition of painting by Nikolas Jones 12 April – 9 June 2021

an exhibition of painting by Nikolas Jones 12 April – 9 June 2021 ArtMoorHouse, Moor House building 120 London Wall EC2Y5ET London, UK

presented by ArtMoorHouse

People watching, watching People

Image: They keep getting worst, Acrylic on wooden panel, 75 x 103.3 x 3.2 cm, 2017

People watching, watching people People watching is the act of observing people and their interactions, usually without their knowledge. It involves picking up on idiosyncrasies to try to guess at another person's story and unique identity. This includes body language, expressions, clothing and the surroundings. It is a quest on identity and its signi cance in time and space.

In his body of panel paintings, Nikolas Jones re ects on ideas and images drawn from his daily life, his environment and the people that inhabit public spaces. Wether stopping for a coffee, shopping in the local supermarket, travelling on public transport or in the workplace, the key aspect for Nikolas in making these works, was to let his attention be led towards the gaze of the iconic elements that identify the persona of his individual characters. This constant tension between the role we play in society and the way we wish our identity to be perceived is everpresent in Jones’s work.

These paintings, often depicting a nuanced glance across the everyday overlooked scenarios generated by the interacting of many individuals in public spaces, have been created pre pandemic and drawn directly from Nikolas experiences of commuting through public spaces. Reconstructing, initially by ink on paper often as basic diagram of shapes, the unique

fl

fi

impressions that identify his characters, Jones gives us distinctive

snap shots of each one of us and of the externalisation of our individuality.

Now, generated by the worldwide lockdowns, an alternative shared perspective of space relative to interactions has emerged.

Life in public spaces is less uid and more cautious, momentarily suspending the spontaneity of the everyday anonymous individual encounters. Are the works on show images from the past or do they represent the togetherness and the unique nature of human activity?

ArtMoorHouse 2021 curatorial theme: Space The theme offers deliberately a vast range of possibilities embracing subjects as divers as cyber space and the environment, from the space we work or live in, to the concept of space as required distance between us, from the importance of shapes in de ning space to the abstract idea of it. Our aim is to explore the idea of space through very unique point of view of

fl

fi

each of the artist selected.

ArtMoorHouse aim is to establish a unique platform for promoting an unsurpassed synergy between creativity and b u s i n e s s . We c rea te c u ra te d v i s u a l ex p e ri e n ce s a n d presentations, working with emerging and internationally acclaimed artists. We strive to engage, inspire and provide a talking point and an ice breaker in the banking and commercial environment.

ARTMOORHOUSE I WWW.ARTMOORHOUSE.COM I INFO@ARTMOORHOUSE.COM I

120 LONDON WALL EC2Y 5ET LONDON UK I +44 75 0 2211914

Under Construction Acrylic on wooden panel 86 x 54 x 3 cm 2017, Framed

£ 800

Nikolas Jones

Ball Boy Acrylic on wooden panel 67 x 75.9 x 3.4 cm 2017, Framed

£ 600

Nikolas Jones

Bell Boy Acrylic on wooden panel 56 x 78 x 3.8 cm 2017, Framed

£ 800

Nikolas Jones

Old Man Acrylic on wooden panel 68.7 x 80 x 3.2 cm 2016, Framed

£ 600

Nikolas Jones

Gentleman Acrylic on wooden panel 60.4 x 75.5 x 2.9 cm 2017, Framed

£ 800

Nikolas Jones

Lady Acrylic on wooden panel 60.4 x 75.5 x 2.9 cm 2017, Framed

£ 800

Nikolas Jones

Walking the god Acrylic on wooden panel 88 x 107.6 x 3 cm 2018, Framed

£ 900

Nikolas Jones

Man group Acrylic on wooden panel 66.5 x 87 x 3.2 cm 2017, Framed

£ 900

Nikolas Jones

Hi Vis Gillette Acrylic on wooden panel 59.1 x 119.1 x 6 cm 2016, Framed

£ 800

Nikolas Jones

They keep getting worst Acrylic on wooden panel 75 x 103.3 x 3.2 cm 2017, Framed

£ 1,100

Nikolas Jones

All in a pair of twos Acrylic on wooden panel 105.5 x 137 x 3 cm 2017, Framed

£ 1,200

Nikolas Jones

Elamina Acrylic on wooden panel 63 x 91..4 x 3 cm 2018, Framed

£ 800

Nikolas Jones

Business man Oil on suspension f ile 34.5 x 24 cm 2018, Framed

£ 450

Nikolas Jones

Shopping Acrylic on wooden panel 73..7 x 192..6 x 3 cm 2018, Framed

£ 1,200

Nikolas Jones

Flying Acrylic on wooden panel 173 x 71.2 x 3 cm 2018, Framed

£ 1,200

Nikolas Jones

Domas Acrylic on wooden panel 159.3 x 118 x 3 cm 2018, f ramed

£ 1,400

Nikolas Jones

Plastic People (Made in love island I’m not in love it’s just a thing we do) Acrylic on wooden panel 118.5 x 134 x 3 cm 2018, Framed

£ 1,200

Nikolas Jones

French Waiters Acrylic on wooden panel 86 x 174.6 x 3.2 cm 2018, Framed

£ 1,200

Nikolas Jones

Dutch Waiters Acrylic on watercolour paper 29.5 x 42 cm 2017, Framed

£ 450

Nikolas Jones

About Nikolas Jones

I paint for myself. Paint can only be paint, however hard it tries to disguise itself as anything else, it will always reveal its true nature as its form. The nature of paint is what sets it apart from all other, nothing can replicate nor mimic the paint, its ability to transcribe, re ect and respond, yet always speaking of itself. I paint for paintings sake and for the sake of paint, I will paint, nothing else will do.

I studied

ne art painting, thou my practise currently retracts

from any notions of academia prerequisites or any pre conceived notions of image or concept. In painting I

nd my non verbal

voice, which exists as a visual language, within its own terms. It is not something to be transcribed into words, it is a Language for the eyes and soul.

My language forms as I wake, as I work, as I look, as I dream, as I study, as I gaze, as I walk as I be. My dialog with paint is constant, picking up a brush stoke here or a colour from there, I continuously add to my story. Constantly seeing and constantly feeling, my paint nally connects the two.

I have exhibited and sold previous collections. I have curated shows and am actively engaged professionally with the arts

fi

fi

fi

fl

industry.

Education Camberwell College of art, London, GB, Foundation Art Diploma

Camberwell College of art, London, GB, Fine Art Painting, BA

Exhibitions 2005 - Inaugural Exhibition - Group show - Platform 1 Gallery Wandsworth Common - London

2005 - Painting Show - Group Show - Studio 101- Balham London

2006 - Shameless Publicity Stunt - Group Show - Platform 1 Gallery - Wandsworth Common - London

2006 - Portrayed - Group Show - Platform 1 Gallery - Wandsworth Common - London

2008 - Getting to know Nik Jones - Solo Show - Platform 1 Gallery - Wandsworth Common - London

2009 - Waiting Room - Group Show - Platform 1 Gallery Wandsworth Common - London

2009 - Vorfreude - Brand Launch - LCB - Brick Lane - London

2009 - BA Show - Camberwell College of Art - London

2009 - Generation Celebratron - Group Show - GX gallery Camberwell - London

2011 - Out of Stock - Group Show - Stolen Space - Brick lane London

2013 - Painting Exhibition - Solo Show - Platform 1 Gallery Wandsworth Common - London

2015 - Monochrome - Video Premier - House of vans - London

2015 - Spotlight on London - Saatchi Art - London

2016 - Spotlight on London - Saatchi Art - London

Special thanks to Madeleine Pugh and all Moor House’s building management team who, for the past ten years of collaboration, have been directly involved in the development of ArtMoorHouse thanks to their precious help and great support for our Art Program.

Acknowledgements:

ArtMoorHouse Elisa Martinelli E. info@artmoorhouse.com T. +447502211914