Aidan Myers
b. 1992 Stoke On Trent, UK
Aidan Myers is an artist based in Cardiff, Wales working between painting and drawing.
Notably Myers travelled to India for artist residencies in 2024 in Maharashtra and 2018 in Goa, which formed the basis to his recent landscape works. He was a recipient of the Artist Support Pledge ‘Surfaces Award’ in 2021, which led to exhibiting at ASP’s inaugural group show at Hastings Contemporary. In 2017 Myers won first prize at the Oriel Cric Open in Wales.
Myers studied Fine Art at Cardiff School of Art and Design graduating in 2014; subsequently he worked at the Art School’s ‘Inc Space’ for a 2-year studio placement.
He exhibits in regular group shows in the UK and has presented solo shows in Cardiff (2023, 2021, 2018 & 2016) and Stroud, UK (2016).
There are public and private collections of work in: UK, Germany, USA, India & Hong Kong.
Statement:
I’m interested in the evolution of nature through human interference and our purposeful adaptations of nature to suit human idealistic modern life. I paint from scenes or places where I’ve visited that leave me curious and make me think about the different intentions for growing certain plants for food or nurturing ornamentation plants in green spaces for pleasure.
My paintings often reference the banana plant motif inspired by their seemingly abstract aesthetic qualities, their ornamental appeal in western world, as a food source and being a nostalgic, symbolic subject to the times I’ve spent painting in India.
I’m interested in experimenting with painting that borders between abstraction and the depicted subject to evoke the remembered feelings of the experience of ‘being in nature’; the physical act of applying paint, expressive mark-making and layering feels somehow relatable to human interaction with nature.
Recent paintings from my series ‘Props’ look at human-crafted green space and gardens, thinking about nature being ‘controlled’ and ‘choreographed’ by humans. The plants and trees are theatrical in the way that they are purposefully placed in our carefully curated gardens and managed woodlands.
The ‘Encounters’ series began in 2018 during my first artist residency to India and was the realisation of my fascination with nature and landscape as a subject matter. I also developed my affinity to banana plants as a motif here, in a way re-inventing the ‘figurative’ element of my previous abstract/figure paintings.
SOLO SHOWS
- 2023 The Sustainable Studio, ‘Curated Nature’, Cardiff, Wales
- 2018 The Sustainable Studio, ‘Labyrinth’, Cardiff, Wales
- 2017 Waterloo Gardens Teahouse, ‘Small Works’, Cardiff, Wales
- 2016 Line Gallery - Stroud Visual Arts, ‘New Matter’, Stroud UK
- 2016 Cardiff M.A.D.E, ‘Manoeuvred Matter’, Cardiff, Wales
SELECTED GROUP SHOWS
2024
- Elysium Gallery, ‘I Won’t Stay In A World Without Love’ BEEP Painting Prize, Swansea, Wales
- Art Market Cardiff, ‘Canton Flower Show’, Cardiff, Wales
2023
- Cardiff M.A.D.E, ‘Resilience’, Cardiff, Wales, UK
- Ty Pawb, ‘Horizon Garden’, Wrexham, Wales UK
- Zimmer Stewart Gallery, ‘Reflections at King Edward VII Hospital’, London, UK
2022
- Hearth Gallery, ‘Pages From a Book’, Penarth, Wales UK
- Terrace Gallery, ‘Wish You Were Here’, London, UK
- Cardiff M.A.D.E, ‘Mutable’, Cardiff, Wales, UK
2021
- Mall Galleries, ‘Figurative Art Now’ FBA 60th Anniversary, London, UK (digital)
- Cardiff M.A.D.E, ‘Cambium’, Cardiff, Wales
- Royal Cambrian Academy – ‘Annual Open’, Conwy, Wales
2020
- The London Atelier of Representational Art - ‘Painting Now’, London (p/p)
- Cardiff M.A.D.E, ‘Winter Show’, Cardiff, Wales
2019
- LLAWN Festival - TactileBOSCH, 'Out of Line', Llandudno, Wales
- Cardiff M.A.D.E, 'Summer Art Prize 2019', Cardiff, Wales
- Fringe Arts Bath Festival, 'SELF', Bath, UK
- Blackwater Gallery, 'The Journey Begins', Cardiff, Wales
2018
- The National Eisteddfod of Wales, CAV/UHL, Cardiff, Wales
2017
- Oriel CRiC, ‘Crickhowell Open Art’, Crickhowell, Wales
2016
- Curious Duke Gallery, ‘Insert Art Here’, London, UK
2015
- Moniker Art Fair, London
- Affordable Art Fair Battersea, London
- Affordable Art Fair Hamburg, Germany
- Kooywood Gallery, ‘New Blood’, Cardiff, Wales
- Cardiff M.A.D.E, ‘MADE from the Museum’, Cardiff, Wales
- Penarth Pier Pavilion, ‘Staring at the Sea Contemporary Painting Wales’, Cardiff, Wales
2014
- Works In Print, ‘Art Graduate Prize’, London, UK
- Elysium Gallery, ‘A Portrait of the Artist as…’ BEEP Painting Prize, Swansea, Wales
- Bargehouse Oxo Tower wharf, ‘Float Art London 2014’, London, UK
- Curious Duke Gallery, ‘Secret Art Prize’, London, UK
- The Abacus, ‘Solve et Coagula’, Cardiff, Wales
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
- 2024 ‘Thrust’ & ‘Frontal’ Silures, Cardiff, Wales. Purchased
- 2021 Grange University Hospital, Cwmbran, Wales. Commissioned
- 2018 ‘Resilience’ (NHS 70 – CAV/UHL) Llandough Hospital, Cardiff, Wales. Commissioned
- 2017 ‘Helping Hands’ Heath Hospital, Cardiff, Wales. Commissioned
- 2014 ‘Impetus’ Cardiff School of Art & Design, Llandaff, Wales. Commissioned
- 2014 ‘Untitled’ Cardiff School of Art & Design, Llandaff, Wales. Purchased
- 2010 ‘Are You Living The Dream?’ Totton College, Southampton, UK. Commissioned
Private collections: UK, Germany, USA, India & Hong Kong
AWARDS & GRANTS
- 2021 Artist Surfaces Award, The Artist Support Pledge, UK
- 2021 Arts Council Wales Grant
- 2020 Arts Council Wales Grant
- 2017 ‘Crickhowell Open Art Prize’, Oriel CRiC, Wales First Place Winner
- 2017 CSE Flash Fund Bursary, Cardiff Metropolitan University
- 2016 Gane Trust Grant
- 2016 CSE Flash Fund Bursary, Cardiff Metropolitan University
- 2013 Dulcie Mayne Stephens Art Trust Travel Bursary
- 2011 Fine Art Scholarship at Cardiff School of Art & Design
LONG/SHORTLISTS
- 2024 ‘I Won’t Stay In A World Without Love’, BEEP Painting Prize, Swansea. Longlisted
- 2024 ‘Jackson’s Art Prize’, London. Longlisted
- 2023 ‘Visual Identity Commission’, Bronglais Cancer Treatment Unit, Aberystwyth, Wales. Shortlisted
- 2023 ‘Rub N Roll Print Residency Associates, Cardiff M.A.D.E, Wales. Shortlisted
- 2021 ‘Bath Society of Artists’ 116th Annual Open’, Victoria Gallery, Bath, UK. Shortlisted
- 2019 ‘Summer Open Art Prize’, Cardiff M.A.D.E, Wales. Shortlisted
- 2018 ‘Shell Heritage’, Beaulieu Motor Museum, New Forest, UK. Shortlisted
- 2017 ‘Adam Speaks’, National Trust Croome Park, Worcestershire, UK. Shortlisted
- 2016 ‘Jackson’s Art Prize’, London. Longlisted
- 2014 ‘Secret Art Prize’, Curious Duke Gallery, London. Shortlisted
- 2014 ‘Graduate Art Prize’, Works in Print, London. Shortlisted
- 2014 ‘Blank Canvas Commission’, Clyde & Co, London. Shortlisted
RESIDENCIES & PROJECTS
- 2024 Lake House – AIR, Maharashtra, India
- 2021 ‘Open Books’ – Collaboration w/ Ruchika Wason Singh, The Godown, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- 2018 Aamir Art House – AIR, Goa, India
- 2014-16 ‘Incubation Space’ (INC), Cardiff School of Art & Design, Cardiff, Wales
- 2014 ‘Art Hotel’, The Abacus, Cardiff Contemporary Festival, Cardiff, Wales
EDUCATION
- 2011-14 BA Hons Fine Art, Cardiff School of Art & Design, Cardiff, Wales (First Class Honours)
- 2010-11 Foundation Art, Totton College, Southampton, UK (Distinction)