George Rouy.
Photo: KINGSLEY IFILL
Next Big Thing: George Rouy
The London artist’s psychologically charged paintings reveal amorphous, nude figures that seem to ricochet within the confines of the canvas
With a blurry, dreamlike quality, George Rouy’s psychologically charged paintings reveal amorphous, nude figures that seem to ricochet within the confines of the canvas. In the midst of a monumental year, he mounted a solo show at Hannah Barry Gallery in London in June and made his U.S. solo debut at New York’s Nicola Vassell gallery in September while also publishing his first book.
George Rouy, Ethereal Bleeding, (2023). Photo: Courtesy of the artist
Artistic breakthrough: Four years ago, Rouy experienced a major shift in his practice after he saw a performance by the famed Israeli choreographer Sharon Eyal. “I was drawn to the dancers and the way in which they moved and responded, which was so emotive and intuitive,” says Rouy.
Multiple meanings: Rouy’s 2023 painting Endless Song shows a figure supported by three others, which could recall historical tropes, such as the death of Christ, among others. “There is a vibration between meanings,” the artist explains. “I like the viewer to feel what they feel. It is about using your mind’s eye and the intuitive, emotional parts of oneself.”
A detail from George Rouy’s Endless Song (2023). Photo: DENIZ GUZEL, COURTESY OF THE ARTIST
“George works with historical modes of portraiture but brings them through a lens of contemporary society. His recent work at Nicola Vassell is a triumph”
Elizabeth Dee
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2023 Winter Issue under the headline “Next Big Things.” Subscribe to the magazine.
Click here to see the full list of “Next Big Things.”
Cover: George Rouy.
Photo: KINGSLEY IFILL
