Will Martyr

Will Martyr was born in Eastbourne in the United Kingdom in 1980. At the age of 18, the artist moved to London, after being accepted into the prestigious Slade School of Fine Art, where he became fascinated by colour, drawing on influences from Ellsworth Kelly, Josef Albers and Richard Diebenkorn. To this day, Martyr calls himself a colourist.

During his early education, Martyr’s talent was readily noticed, gaining him two patrons who supported him with a stipend, allowing the artist to focus on his vocation. Following his time at The Slade, Martyr moved to New York, a city that inspired him with its diverse and rich art scene and architectural landscape, which influenced Martyr’s early architectural paintings and love for urban scenery. Martyr returned to London in 2005, to complete his Masters Degree at the Royal College of Art in 2007. The artist still lives and works in London.

From the unconventional shape of his circular canvases, named tondos, to the hard-edged quality of his painting, reminiscent of Pop-Art and Italian Futurism, his artwork is heavily influenced by Modernism, both formally and pictorially. Over the years, Martyr’s subject matter has often been the juxtaposition of urban and natural landscapes: windows into utopian environments, fragments of interiors and narrative cut-outs, sometimes incorporating a human figure in his compositions. His practice revolves around the idyllic, capturing the essence of carefree moments and evoking nostalgia through their vibrant colours and harmonious compositions - a perfect, transportive snapshot for the viewer.