Photo: Kira Swain
Oliver Hassell
BIRMINGHAM, UK
Birmingham based surrealist exploring pop culture, horror and psychedelia via paint, digital and creative reuse.
A self-taught artist from Birmingham with an interest in pop culture, horror, and psychedelia, Oliver’s illustration mixes dark imagery with bright colours and a surreal aesthetic; combining detailed ink drawings with simple acrylic painting which are then edited, composed and coloured digitally. Themes often include the idea of the shadow self, mental states, the dark side of the media, and the state of society. He also creates acrylic paintings involving similar themes, and fashion pieces using upcycled garments and printed fabric under the name of ‘DEATH IN COLOUR’.
“Oliver’s dark approach and focus on mental health, social media and relationships is really compelling. I love the way he utilises dark humour and classic horror tropes. I love how his characters live with darkness inside a world of colour.”
— Ivan Michael Blackstock
