The singer-songwriter, who has sold over 160 million albums worldwide and become one of the most successful recording artists of all time, now has unveiled his debut collection of paintings, which he began creating in 2019 with London’s Heni Gallery.
The Unexpected Canvas
Sheeran’s painting practice began in the most unlikely of places: a disused car park in Soho.
“I was back and forth on tour last year, and I used a lot of my downtime in the UK to paint,” Sheeran explains. “I’d run to a disused car park in Soho each morning, paint, then run home and I’d do that daily until I headed back out on tour again.”
This unconventional studio space has given its name to Sheeran’s debut collection: the “Cosmic Carpark Paintings.” The series of multi-colored drip and splash works, created using household paint shows an unexplored side of the pop star.
What transformed Sheeran’s painting from a personal stress-relief activity into a public exhibition was a conversation with two significant figures in the art world. When he mentioned his carpark painting sessions to Damien Hirst and Joe Hage, the founder of art services company HENI, they proposed the exhibition live throughout July, offering fans and art enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire original works on canvas and prints for £900 ($1,200) each.
Sheeran has been refreshingly candid about his artistic influences and limitations. The obvious comparisons to Jackson Pollock’s Abstract Expressionist style are something he openly acknowledges rather than shies away from. In announcing the exhibition on social media, he noted, “it’s mostly just splashing colors on canvases, think Jackson Pollock.”
This self-awareness extends to his perspective on his role as an artist. “I am by no means ‘an artist’, but I do love making art, it makes me feel great, and I love the end result,” Sheeran stated.
For an artist whose musical career demands constant touring, recording, and public engagement, painting has provided something invaluable: a private creative space. “I started painting at the end of my Divide Tour in 2019 and it’s something that I’ve used as a creative outlet ever since,” Sheeran explains.
The true test of Sheeran’s artistic venture will be public reception. The extent to which audiences will embrace his transition from audio to visual creativity remains to be seen.
The “Cosmic Carpark Paintings” exhibition, runs from July 11 to August 1 at the Heni Gallery in central London.
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