Existential Ideas: Art by Jason Tawkin
Hot Dog Dinner Party, mixed media on canvas
Jason Tawkin is a painter and printmaker who explores some big, existential ideas in his work. Working in a variety of print techniques, the artist has a unique style that draws on neutral, earthy colours and varied imagery.
Kissed by Death, serigraphy, spray paint
Jason’s paintings seem heavily influenced by the American abstract expressionism of the 1950’s and 60’s, and artists like Jackson Pollock and Picasso. Though the works aren’t always completely abstract, I enjoy the way the artist blends a variety of gestural forms into a mysterious, sometimes indecipherable whole. The artist’s paint of choice is acrylic, though he occasionally incorporates mixed media elements into this work, such as latex or computer parts.
In his printmaking practice, Jason has an affinity for strong, monochromatic images, sometimes layered over top of one another to create a deep visual landscape. His intaglio and lithograph prints are generally monochromatic, and have a certain grungy, punk aesthetic to them in both style and subject matter.