Iconic urban streetscapes... Gifted cityscape artist Kris Hardy grew up in Nottingham, and his day-to-day city life ensured that he was always surrounded by interesting architecture . He remembers witnessing the demolition of some council flats; even though they were unsightly and uninhabitable 1960s buildings, the bold, geometric graphic they created against the skyline intrigued him even at the age of eight.
He has always been interested in the juxtaposition of soft, romantic and flowing elements of a cityscape or landscape and the harsh, sometimes monolithic scale and stature of buildings. His work echoes the combination of bold, strong lines and blocks of tone with softer foliage or organic architecture. Amongst other things, he is influenced by urban art and graffiti, paintings and artists from the renaissance period, contemporary culture, illustration, expressionism and photography.
Painting in oil, watercolour and acrylic on canvas, Kris’s work consists of soft pastel tones combined with sharp, bold nearly blacks and deep purples. He has always found cityscapes and iconic landscapes and landmarks fascinating, from busy urban environments like New York to such romantic locations as Paris.
After studying photography, Kris graduated with a 1st class honours degree in Vehicle Design in 2000, then went on to study at the Royal College of Art where he gained his masters. After working for Lotus he became a professional artist in 2003 and his work is gaining popularity across the UK. He has fulfilled commissions for Boris Johnson and the CEOs of companies including British Gas and Bonnier in Chelsea.
