Ed Burkes
About the Artist
Ed Burkes is a painter based in East Cornwall. He received his BA in Fine Art from Falmouth University. His intuitive style of painting has seen him exhibited at Beers London and Arusha Gallery. Ed's first solo show, Dandelion, was the result of a nine-month studio residency in Derby with a prolific body of works exhibited at Derby Museum and Art Gallery before moving to Mall Galleries in London in 2021. Burkes has received several prestigious awards, including the Jonathan Vickers Fine Art Award, the Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Travel to Italy Award, the Falmouth School of Art Purchase Prize, and has been shortlisted for Bloomberg New Contemporaries.
Burke’s artistic practice is rooted in the power of language to shape narrative and truth. By juxtaposing fragmented phrases and suggestive statements, he invites viewers to question the nature of reality and delve into speculative narratives. Text and image are equally important elements in his work, working together to create a rich and thought-provoking experience, encouraging contemplation and emotional engagement. His paintings are characterized by an intuitive style and a bold, distinctive colour palette.
“I try and paint what I know but what I know is different to what I understand. I know feeling but I don’t understand it. This contradiction is Illuminating. False ground is self- sustaining. The attempt to articulate is the fuel and the fire to my work, and It’s the movement of ideas, or something ‘having legs’ that engages me. It’s an attempt to arrive somewhere and the process is where meaning and significance lies. It’s all about peddling rhythm and following your nose. Listening rather than making noise. Trying to feel behind to years gone past; an ode to human existence. Memories are giants cast into stone which is a love letter to strength and that tomorrow will be better."
Ed Burkes is a painter based in East Cornwall. He received his BA in Fine Art from Falmouth University. His intuitive style of painting has seen him exhibited at Beers London and Arusha Gallery. Ed's first solo show, Dandelion, was the result of a nine-month studio residency in Derby with a prolific body of works exhibited at Derby Museum and Art Gallery before moving to Mall Galleries in London in 2021. Burkes has received several prestigious awards, including the Jonathan Vickers Fine Art Award, the Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Travel to Italy Award, the Falmouth School of Art Purchase Prize, and has been shortlisted for Bloomberg New Contemporaries.
Burke’s artistic practice is rooted in the power of language to shape narrative and truth. By juxtaposing fragmented phrases and suggestive statements, he invites viewers to question the nature of reality and delve into speculative narratives. Text and image are equally important elements in his work, working together to create a rich and thought-provoking experience, encouraging contemplation and emotional engagement. His paintings are characterized by an intuitive style and a bold, distinctive colour palette.
“I try and paint what I know but what I know is different to what I understand. I know feeling but I don’t understand it. This contradiction is Illuminating. False ground is self- sustaining. The attempt to articulate is the fuel and the fire to my work, and It’s the movement of ideas, or something ‘having legs’ that engages me. It’s an attempt to arrive somewhere and the process is where meaning and significance lies. It’s all about peddling rhythm and following your nose. Listening rather than making noise. Trying to feel behind to years gone past; an ode to human existence. Memories are giants cast into stone which is a love letter to strength and that tomorrow will be better."
The Artworks (Ashurst Art Collection 2025)
The Dance
Oil on Canvas
205 x 205cm
Oil on Canvas
205 x 205cm
“I try and paint what I know but what I know is different to what I understand. I know feeling but I don’t understand it. This contradiction is Illuminating. False ground is self- sustaining. The attempt to articulate is the fuel and the fire to my work, and It’s the movement of ideas, or something ‘having legs’ that engages me. It’s an attempt to arrive somewhere and the process is where meaning and significance lies. It’s all about peddling rhythm and following your nose. Listening rather than making noise. Trying to feel behind to years gone past; an ode to human existence. Memories are giants cast into stone which is a love letter to strength and that tomorrow will be better." - the artist.
Falling from Ghosts in the Sky
Oil on Canvas 145 x 200cm 
If the World's Still Here on Monday
Oil on Canvas 120 x 100cm |
How to Handle Being Mortal
Oil on Canvas 120 x 100cm 
Charm
Oil on Canvas 130 x 105cm |
