Forget crunching numbers and watching stock tickers: unlike shares and bonds, art is an investment of passion, one that offers indulgence in a hobby and the joy of ownership – not to mention aesthetic pleasure and, of course, potential financial gain.
Whether you’re a seasoned art investor or simply contemplating starting an art collection, the emerging artists market is a promising one to familiarise yourself with. And it’s never been more exciting, as young artists respond to the rapidly changing world around them. “One of the most interesting trends that I have come to observe recently is artists looking to technology and machinery to assist with their creative process,” says Lawrence Van Hagen, curator of the What’s Up exhibitions and founder of LVH Art. “This is particularly relevant given the ongoing discussion surrounding AI and image generation platforms.”
While some up-and-coming artists are drawing inspiration from this current era of digital upheaval, others are shaking up the art world with a fresh take on tradition. Maddox Gallery’s creative director Jay Rutland has noticed a resurgence of Impressionism among contemporary painters. “As we move through 2024, the art world is in the midst of a transformative shift, boldly embracing new directions and influences,” he says. “This shift is not only evident in the works of contemporary painters like Dario Vargas, who are finding inspiration in the past, but also in the importance of light, echoing the Impressionist movement where light took dominance over the subject matter, a principle evident in the young Moroccan artist Touils.”
In order to help demystify the emerging artists market, we’ve enlisted the help of three preeminent art experts – Van Hagen and Rutland along with co-founder and director of Unit London Joe Kennedy – to offer up a selection of the modern art world’s most exciting names, all of whom are tipped for greatness. If you’re looking to get ahead of the curve, then read on – because these young artists are the ones to watch.
Jess Allen
“Jess’ artistic language is very established – her subject matters are drawn from her immediate domestic environment and her familial relationships, making the work uninterruptedly personal. Jess lives and works from her studio in Cornwall and her paintings have become prized and coveted internationally since her first presentation at the gallery in 2022.” – Joe Kennedy
Lucas Dupuy
“Lucas Dupuy uses an airbrush tool, typically used for spray painting cars, and creates these beautiful, meditative abstract works.” – Lawrence Van Hagen
Amy Hui
“A young Chinese artist living in the UK, Amy recently received her MA in painting from the RCA. Her visceral paintings use home-made felt materials and subvert traditional painting techniques, exploring emotional fragility and themes of self-healing and repair.” – Joe Kennedy
Cooper
“I discovered Cooper on Instagram and both of his solo shows with Maddox have been sell-outs. Currently our Artist in Residence, the artwork he’s creating will be previewed during an exhibition at our Berkeley Street Gallery in June. From Evansville, Indiana, his still life works are challenging the status quo, finding beauty in unexpected places, reminiscent of early David Hockney.” – Jay Rutland
Emily Kraus
“Emily creates these incredible, large-scale paintings with the help of a cubic structure that she designed herself.” – Lawrence Van Hagen
Touils
“Touils is a recent discovery for Maddox. When I first visited his studio earlier this year, I was overwhelmed by his talent. The positive energy of his vivid painterly canvases, represent a celebration of light and colour, conjuring up a mysterious mood-altering impact.” – Jay Rutland
Louise Reynolds
Louise recently opened her first solo exhibition at the gallery, with a body of new drawings and paintings entitled Red Sky In The Morning. Louise deploys mythological references and historical painting techniques to dissect the contemporary media landscape and its effects on our identity. – Joe Kennedy
Ross Muir
“Maddox started working with Ross Muir in 2021 and he remains one of our most popular artists. Playing part art historian, he continues to explore and dissect famous paintings with his innovative use of line, shape, colour and texture – he puts a contemporary twist on the familiar whilst somehow maintaining their authenticity.” – Jay Rutland
Jessica Brilli
“We started working with American newcomer Jessica Brilli last year at Art Miami. Via her oil paintings Brilli fills a collective need to feel connected to happier times, providing a comfort blanket to a world without cynicism and regret. A sentiment that resonates deeply at this time. I’m excited that Jessica will hold her first solo show with Maddox this autumn.” – Jay Rutland
Bobbi Essers
“Bobbi Essers’ evocative paintings document the intimate, interpersonal relationships found in European youth culture. She recently won the Royal Award for Dutch Painting and will present her first solo exhibition at Unit at the end of this year. An artist to watch!” – Joe Kennedy
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