Elliott Routledge
Tokyo-born, Sydney-based Elliott Routledge creates bold contemporary abstract works ranging from painting and sculpture to large-scale public art works which demand our attention.
Words: Holly Terry | Photography: Courtesy of Elliott Routledge
‘I have two brothers who are artists and musicians, and my mum worked in theatre production. Our house was always buzzing with some kind of artistic activity, and my brothers and I would often collaborate and make things together,’ says Elliott Routledge. Photo: courtesy of Elliott Routledge
From Elliott Routledge's Euphoria exhibition at Madison Gallery. Photo: courtesy of Elliott Routledge
‘One week might be spent inside a crazy construction site up scaffolding to paint and install murals, the next week could quickly switch to calm solo time in the studio painting canvas or sculpture. Often, I might be on the computer designing works and collaborating on digital projects, then I will completely re-organise my studio to focus on mixing and sculpting concrete for a week. I have young kids as well, so throw being a parent into the mix and it’s never a dull moment!’ Pictured: Hello public work - Westfield Coomera, QLD 2019 by Elliott Routledge. Photo: courtesy of Elliott Routledge
Public work by Elliott Routledge. Photo: courtesy of Elliott Routledge
Same Old Stardust by Elliott Routledge. Photo: courtesy of Elliott Routledge
Known for his contemporary abstract works and large-scale public art practice, Elliott Routledge is a long-time creative. ‘Our house was always buzzing with some kind of artistic activity, and my brothers and I would often collaborate and make things together – we were allowed to paint our bedroom walls, and set up fake walls to paint in our backyard as teenagers,’ Elliott recalls. Growing up within a creative family has had a profound impact on the artist, heavily influencing the way he lives and creates now.
Inspired by the ever-present aspects within his own life, Elliott’s inspiration comes from many forms. ‘Overall, I find the most inspiration comes from people. I’m fascinated by life, kids, death, happiness, our relationship to physical space and forms, colour from nature, and anything else makes me feel good.’
Spanning over numerous mediums including painting, sculpture and murals, Elliott’s creative practice is brilliantly chaotic and varied. While his works are visually vibrant and loud, they’re also considered and charged with meticulous attention to detail. Effortlessly balancing bold colourways and repetitive pattern, for Elliot, colour exists in an equal way to form, space and pattern. ‘I'm drawn to all of these things and feel compelled to achieve abstraction with as many techniques and visuals as possible,’ he says.
Thoughtfully playing on abstraction to evoke emotions and explore space, Elliott explores the meeting of aesthetic alongside with his own interpretations, ‘With abstraction, I try and have a balance of aesthetic, and subjective interpretation with enough wiggle room to let these concepts emerge as graphic elements and subliminal messaging.’
Known for his public art practice, the artist has been involved in several notable collaborations and displays, namely his landmark mural in Pitt St, Sydney as part of the Art & About festival. ‘The mural process isn’t too mysterious really, and that’s part of why I like working on them. The whole process of creating outdoor public pieces is great because people get to see how it’s done. There’s no curatorial riddle to confuse you, just a person creating art right in front of you,’ he shares.
Having recently held his solo show titled Noise, Sunset, Rush with major contemporary institution, Olsen Gallery in Sydney, Elliott will soon be heading to North America to install a new mural and then back to his hometown of Sydney to finish off one of his largest outdoor works located at upcoming hotel Moxy.
Mixed Business by Elliott Routledge. Photo: courtesy of Elliott Routledge
From Elliott Routledge's Euphoria exhibition at Madison Gallery. Photo: courtesy of Elliott Routledge
“My work tends to thrive when I’m socialising and collaborating with other like-minded artists – growing up in a creative household taught me the importance of shared creativity and community.”
‘I’m fascinated by life, kids, death, happiness, our relationship to physical space and forms, colour from nature, and anything else that makes me feel good. All these things are ever present in my life, so I embrace them to the point they often end up either in the artwork or having an effect on the underlying concepts,’ says Elliott Routledge. Photo: courtesy of Elliott Routledge
Happiness Hidden public work - Walk the Walls Festival, Cronulla 2019 by Elliott Routledge. Photo: courtesy of Elliott Routledge
From Elliott Routledge's Euphoria exhibition at Madison Gallery. Photo: courtesy of Elliott Routledge