Kingston Poplar’s curious paintings are a reflection of modern society

Kingston Poplar is a British painter who was born in Australia, raised in a small working-class town in the East Midlands, and is now currently based in the British Virgin Islands. He developed a passion for drawing from a young age, which eventually led to a degree in Fine Art at Leeds Arts University and then many years of moving between illustration and painting as his medium of choice. “I discovered a love for abstract painting at university, but couldn’t find my voice as an artist so I quit and pursued illustration,” he explains. “After three years of intensely drawing I was still facing the same issues, so I began painting again but carried with me the knowledge I learnt from illustration.”

This knowledge transformed Kingston’s approach to painting from an abstract one to a figurative one, and as a result, most of his current output is characterised by portraiture and the occasional still life piece. There remains, however, a surrealistic aspect to his work, which the artist says acts as “a mirror held up to society, reflecting all the things that make it so.” His paintings, which are by turns tranquil, strange and playful, feature a mixture of animate and inanimate elements which, though seemingly disparate, combine to “give rise to new narratives.” These captivating scenes are imbued with symbolism. And Kingston, who undoubtedly has his own interpretations, says: “Ultimately I want my audience to decide for themselves what my paintings mean to them… What do these things say to each other when placed on the same picture plane? In our own lives what do the people, products and places we inhabit mean to us as individuals, and are there any connections?”