Wesley George

Wesley George (b. 2000) is of Vincentian and English heritage and lives and works in London. As a self-taught British artist, George is known for his naturalistic portraits of Black sitters against vibrant block-coloured backgrounds. Taking his friends from London as his primary subjects, and presenting them in a candid and uplifting manner, George seeks to shed light on the overlooked narratives of Black subjects throughout history and society. George emphasises the importance of cultural heritage and the need for unification of society through his choice of subjects and his eye-catching colour palette. Another crucial feature throughout his portraiture is the inclusion of elements from urban culture, such as popular streetwear and symbolism. By combining these elements with his subjects-of-today, George creates a unique visual syntax which presents complex narratives on an engaging and relatable level. In turn, George’s work prompts the viewer to reflect on the lives and stories of the people around them.

 

George first came to the attention of Jean-David Malat, Founder, in 2020 during the post-lockdown open-call exhibition ‘Isolation Mastered’, where a public jury voted George as one of the top artists amongst thousands of applicants. In January 2021, he was featured in the TV series “Next BigThing”. George’s work has been exhibited in multiple group exhibitions, with his most recent body of work currently on display at JD Malat Gallery.