Ed Sheeran showcases debut collection of Jackson Pollock-esque art
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The colourful pieces in singer Ed Sheeran's debut collection were inspired by celestial patterns and painted in a disused London carpark in 2024.
PHOTOS: TEDDYSPHOTOS/INSTAGRAM, HENI/INSTAGRAM
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LONDON – British pop star Ed Sheeran has swopped a microphone for paint brushes, with the fruit of his endeavours to go on display later this week, the London gallery exhibiting his works confirmed on July 9.
The abstract pieces – colourful Jackson Pollock-esque paintings and prints – will be available to buy, with part of the proceeds going to the Ed Sheeran Foundation, which supports musical education in schools in the United Kingdom.
They are also set to be exhibited at Heni art gallery in central London from July 11 until Aug 1, with the collection called Cosmic Carpark Paintings, the gallery said.
Sheeran, 34, took to social media on July 8 to share the news, saying he worked on the paintings in between shows in 2024.
The singer behind hits such as 2017’s Shape Of You and Perfect also posted a video of his painting process, showing himself splashing brightly coloured paint on large canvases.
“I love painting, more for fun and to give to friends, but this time I was encouraged to do a show of them by (English artist) Damien Hirst and Heni,” he wrote.
“I paint when I’m not working on a record, just to do something creative. And it’s mostly just splashing colours on canvases, think Jackson Pollock but with colourful house paint.”
Sheeran added that did not make him an artist, but noted that he loves making art and that “it makes me feel great, and I love the end result”.
Heni, which said Sheeran’s painting journey began in 2019 following his record-breaking Divide tour, noted that he used one of his earlier creations as the official artwork for his single Afterglow (2020).
The colourful pieces in his debut collection were inspired by celestial patterns and painted in a disused London carpark in 2024, it added.
Sheeran is one of the most listened-to artistes in the world.
The singer-songwriter also makes the list of the 40 richest people under 40 in Britain, with a fortune estimated at £370 million (S$644 million), according to The Sunday Times’ latest annual wealth rankings of Britons. AFP
