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Nigel Cooke is a prominent British artist known for his ability to merge abstraction with figuration in his large-scale, multi-layered paintings. His work reflects a deep exploration of the natural world, human experience, and philosophical ideas, creating compositions that invite viewers to engage with mystery, time, and memory.
Biography
Nigel Cooke, born in Manchester, England in 1973, discovered painting at a young age after inheriting his grandfather's art supplies. Despite initially feeling he wasn’t particularly skilled, he embraced the challenge and persisted in his artistic pursuit. In 1994, Cooke graduated from Nottingham Trent University with a BA in Fine Art and went on to earn an MA in painting from the Royal College of Art in 1997. He later completed a PhD in Fine Art at Goldsmiths, University of London, in 2004.
Cooke's artistic vision centers on landscapes, which he describes as "a cultural frontier between the edge of one civilization and the beginning of another." His distinctive approach to painting gained significant attention, especially following his 2004 solo exhibition Art Now: Nigel Cooke at Tate Britain, which brought his work to the international stage.
Currently living and working in Kent, Cooke also shares his knowledge as a guest lecturer at the Royal College of Art in London.
Style, Movement, and Subjects
Cooke's work blends elements of expressionism, surrealism, and abstract art, while still grounding itself in figurative painting. His style evolved from detailed landscapes to more abstract works, incorporating themes of decay, transformation, and personal mythologies. He often uses natural elements, human figures, and fragmented imagery to create tension and movement. His artistic approach is influenced by the likes of Francis Bacon and Philip Guston, focusing on the raw emotional experience of creating art.
Cooke’s artwork often portrays grotesque figures in bleak, decaying environments. His paintings evoke a sense of unease, conveyed through imagery such as skulls and abandoned buildings, as well as the use of unsettling colours, particularly sickly greens. His creative process is gradual, with the paintings evolving over time through multiple layers of oil paint. Cooke frequently combines different styles within a single canvas, juxtaposing broad areas of colour with meticulous detail. In his more recent works, he has introduced bold, sweeping gestures into his compositions.
The artist’s work delves into themes of horror and abandonment. The environments he crafts, which he describes as “hybrid theatrical spaces,” are inhabited by eerie figures. Cooke starts by sketching directly onto the canvas. He then covers these sketches with white paint, after which his process of "excavation" begins, gradually uncovering what lies beneath. Describing his distinctive technique, Cooke explained:
"It’s much like what archaeologists do with dinosaur fossils, carefully brushing away the soil to unearth something from the ground."
Cooke’s artistic style has gradually transformed over the years, leading him to fully embrace abstraction. His more recent works have shifted away from intricate details in favor of expressive, colorful brushstrokes and more complex compositions. Now, the line has become his main tool of expression, with abstraction taking on what he describes as an "almost foundational principle of organization in painting. In a sense, all paintings are abstract.
Nigel Cooke’s paintings are a dynamic tension between extremes: they juxtapose the monumental with the minuscule, focusing on the detailed decay within vast landscapes. His works, though meticulously executed with scientific precision, create surreal, impossible scenes. Each canvas displays technical mastery, but the imagery often conveys a sense of disorder and excess, appearing to verge on self-destruction.
Cooke’s large-scale paintings are heavily influenced by the heroic ambitions of traditional landscape painting, especially from the 19th century, which celebrated the sublime power of nature. However, Cooke subverts this tradition by depicting bleak, chaotic environments filled with dilapidated buildings, skeletal figures, and symbols from popular culture and horror movies, turning these natural scenes into dismal, apocalyptic visions. His landscapes blend nature with elements of human destruction, often showing a "virulent" force overtaking the land.
The dense detail in his paintings, from graffiti to skull-like shapes, introduces an unsettling juxtaposition between grandeur and triviality. This excessive layering of content creates a sense of claustrophobia and tension, drawing viewers in for closer inspection but offering little comfort. His meticulous attention to microscopic details, enhanced by wearing surgeon's goggles, creates a complex, multi-layered visual experience.
In summary, Cooke's work creates a dialogue between realism, myth, and chaos. His intricate compositions encourage viewers to constantly shift perspectives to comprehend the painting fully, making his work both exhausting and captivating.
Exhibitions and Market Presence
Cooke’s work has been widely exhibited in prestigious galleries such as Pace Gallery in New York and London, and his paintings are part of permanent collections in institutions like MoMA and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. He regularly participates in both solo and group exhibitions across the world.
Throughout his career, Nigel Cooke has presented his work in numerous exhibitions around the globe. His solo showcases include "How the World Became Natural" (2023) at Pace Gallery in New York, "Atlas with Butterfly" (2022) at Pace London, and a virtual exhibition titled "ONLINE: Nigel Cooke: In Focus" (2022), hosted by Pace Palm Beach in Florida. He has also participated in various group exhibitions, such as "Contemporary Prints" (2023) at Pace Prints in New York, and "In the Meanwhile...Recent Acquisitions of Contemporary Art, Part II" (2021) at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art in California.
Artists Influenced by Cooke
Cooke’s integration of abstraction with figurative elements and his exploration of decay and mythological thought have influenced a number of contemporary painters, especially those working with surreal, fragmented compositions. His focus on the internal narrative and the physical act of painting resonates with artists interested in pushing the boundaries between realism and abstraction.
Little-Known Facts
Nigel Cooke contrasts his approach with Eiseley’s essay on natural history, viewing painting as a journey toward personal myth rather than a departure from coherence. Cooke describes his painting practice as a mythic process that explores the mysterious contents of his mind, connecting disparate thoughts and experiences to create new possibilities. He emphasizes the interplay between internal narratives and the external world, highlighting the importance of feeling and intuition in his work.
Cooke acknowledges that while his paintings celebrate introspection, they also reflect the dynamic flow of ideas that enrich understanding of the environment. He believes that the movement and energy in his compositions reveal the interconnectedness of life, expressing hope through the evolution of color and line.
His artistic inspiration draws from a wide range of subjects, including nature, mythology, and literature, allowing him to synthesize these varied influences without being confined to specific forms. Ultimately, Cooke values the experience of mystery in painting, viewing it as a vital aspect of his artistic purpose.
Literature:
- Darian Leader, Tony Godfrey, Marie Darrieussecq, Nigel Cooke, Phaidon, London, 2016.
- Michael Bracewell, Martin Herbert, Nigel Cooke, Walter König, Cologne, 2011.
References:
- Pace Gallery. "Nigel Cooke - Documents". Archived by Pace Gallery, accessed on December 11, 2016 (original archive date: April 28, 2019).
- "Painting Faculty". Royal College of Art. Accessed on December 11, 2016.
- Schwabsky, Barry. "Nigel Cooke - Artforum". Archived on November 14, 2014.
- Tate. "Art Now: Nigel Cooke - Exhibition at Tate Britain". Accessed on December 11, 2016.
- M. Phinney. "Art Observed".
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Nigel Cooke’s work exemplifies a rich, dynamic interplay between abstraction and figuration, exploring themes of time, decay, and personal mythologies. His contributions to contemporary painting have earned him a prominent place in major exhibitions and collections worldwide, making him a significant figure in the evolution of modern art.
Selena Mattei 
