Marcus Aitken
Marcus Aitken
Marcus is a British artist based in Margate whose practice explores the relationship between gesture, materiality, and surface. Working through an intuitive process of layering, erasure, and reconstruction, he creates richly textured paintings that balance spontaneity with control. His compositions evolve through successive interventions, revealing traces of their making and inviting prolonged engagement from the viewer.
Drawing on a background in design, Marcus brings a refined sense of composition and visual language to his work. His paintings are characterised by a physical, process-driven approach in which movement, instinct, and experimentation play a central role. The resulting works occupy a space between abstraction and emotional resonance, where texture and atmosphere become vehicles for personal interpretation.
Drawing on a background in design, Marcus brings a refined sense of composition and visual language to his work. His paintings are characterised by a physical, process-driven approach in which movement, instinct, and experimentation play a central role. The resulting works occupy a space between abstraction and emotional resonance, where texture and atmosphere become vehicles for personal interpretation.
Marcus Aitken
Lives and works in Margate, UK.
Exhibitions
2026 Well Hung painting prize, London
2026 'Universo Bruto', Madrid
2026 Christies Auction House, London
2026 Off Season, Margate
2025 AAF, Battersea, MOB gallery
2025 Art Athens, group show
2025 Maza Art auction, Hackney Downs studios
2025 Group show, Nitra gallery, Athens
2024 'Works on paper', group show, Pitshanger London
2024 Public commission for the National Galleries 200th year, The Strand London
2024 Art Pistol Gallery group show, Glasgow
2024 'Three" group show, London
2023 MOB Solo show, Madrid
2023 'Kaecen', group show, Covent Garden London
2023 Turner Art perspective, group show, London
2023 'Value of art in society today' Pistol Gallery, Scotland
2023 Private collectors invite, MOB gallery, Madrid
2023 The Other Art fair, East London
2023 The Affordable Art Fair, London Battersea
2023 The Auction Collective Studio Sales, London Online
2022 LVT x Marcus Aitken, The Webster, Miami USA
2022 'Pie in the Sky', group show, protein studios, London
2022 La Grange gallery group show, France
2022 Art Futures, St.art, London
2022 Banditto Residency, Tuscany Italy
2022 AAF, Turner Art Perspective, Hamstead London
2022 AAF, Gas Gallery, Battersea London
2022 Farah Collaboration, 1LDK Annex Nagoya Japan
2021 Pringle of Scotland solo show, Mayfair
2021 Raw, Crystal Palace
2021 Auction Collective 50x50, Cromwell place, London
2021 Hoxton Shoreditch, solo show
2021 The Stand auction, online
2021 Pikes Ibiza at Marston Park
2021 Paladin, Gillman Barracks, Singapore
2021 Vault Project Residency, Whitcomb street
2021 Tom Cox Gallery, group show, London
2021 New Tenants, Virtual exhibition, London
2021 Diverse Voices, Salt Lake city, Utah
2021 Fresh Perspectives, London Paint Club
2020 Auction Collective, London
2020 Secret7, Now Gallery
2020 Soft Punk solo show
2020 Art on a postcard, London
2020 Anonymous Heart Project
2020 Gander Gallery, Visions Exhibition
2020 The Other Art Fair, Online studios
2020 Leeds Summer Group Show, Online
2020 Art Pistol Group show, Glasgow
2019 Floorr Magazine EXH01, Online
2019 Fresco Gallery group show, Portugal
2019 The Other Art Fair, Victoria House, London
2019 The Piglrm, solo show, London
2019 Sleep & Eat, Live Painting, Olympia London
2019 Crystal Palace Open House, London
2019 The Other Art Fair, Truman Brewery, London
2018 Control Exhibition, Curator and Exhibitor, London
2018 Deptford X art festival, London
2018 Bog Standard, The strand, London
2018 Homo Promo, Old Street
Education:
2009-2012
BA (Hons) Illustration, First Class
University of the Arts London – LCC, London, UK
2008-2009
Camberwell College of Arts, Foundation Course, London, UK
Lives and works in Margate, UK.
Exhibitions
2026 Well Hung painting prize, London
2026 'Universo Bruto', Madrid
2026 Christies Auction House, London
2026 Off Season, Margate
2025 AAF, Battersea, MOB gallery
2025 Art Athens, group show
2025 Maza Art auction, Hackney Downs studios
2025 Group show, Nitra gallery, Athens
2024 'Works on paper', group show, Pitshanger London
2024 Public commission for the National Galleries 200th year, The Strand London
2024 Art Pistol Gallery group show, Glasgow
2024 'Three" group show, London
2023 MOB Solo show, Madrid
2023 'Kaecen', group show, Covent Garden London
2023 Turner Art perspective, group show, London
2023 'Value of art in society today' Pistol Gallery, Scotland
2023 Private collectors invite, MOB gallery, Madrid
2023 The Other Art fair, East London
2023 The Affordable Art Fair, London Battersea
2023 The Auction Collective Studio Sales, London Online
2022 LVT x Marcus Aitken, The Webster, Miami USA
2022 'Pie in the Sky', group show, protein studios, London
2022 La Grange gallery group show, France
2022 Art Futures, St.art, London
2022 Banditto Residency, Tuscany Italy
2022 AAF, Turner Art Perspective, Hamstead London
2022 AAF, Gas Gallery, Battersea London
2022 Farah Collaboration, 1LDK Annex Nagoya Japan
2021 Pringle of Scotland solo show, Mayfair
2021 Raw, Crystal Palace
2021 Auction Collective 50x50, Cromwell place, London
2021 Hoxton Shoreditch, solo show
2021 The Stand auction, online
2021 Pikes Ibiza at Marston Park
2021 Paladin, Gillman Barracks, Singapore
2021 Vault Project Residency, Whitcomb street
2021 Tom Cox Gallery, group show, London
2021 New Tenants, Virtual exhibition, London
2021 Diverse Voices, Salt Lake city, Utah
2021 Fresh Perspectives, London Paint Club
2020 Auction Collective, London
2020 Secret7, Now Gallery
2020 Soft Punk solo show
2020 Art on a postcard, London
2020 Anonymous Heart Project
2020 Gander Gallery, Visions Exhibition
2020 The Other Art Fair, Online studios
2020 Leeds Summer Group Show, Online
2020 Art Pistol Group show, Glasgow
2019 Floorr Magazine EXH01, Online
2019 Fresco Gallery group show, Portugal
2019 The Other Art Fair, Victoria House, London
2019 The Piglrm, solo show, London
2019 Sleep & Eat, Live Painting, Olympia London
2019 Crystal Palace Open House, London
2019 The Other Art Fair, Truman Brewery, London
2018 Control Exhibition, Curator and Exhibitor, London
2018 Deptford X art festival, London
2018 Bog Standard, The strand, London
2018 Homo Promo, Old Street
Education:
2009-2012
BA (Hons) Illustration, First Class
University of the Arts London – LCC, London, UK
2008-2009
Camberwell College of Arts, Foundation Course, London, UK
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