Having reviewed several of Darren Elwell’s exhibitions previously, David Simper was keen to see how his work had developed. He headed to HIVEArts for the opening night to see the local artist’s latest collection, and managed to grab him for a quick chat too.
Having caught the service 61 into Blackpool in time for the 17:30 private view of Darren Elwell’s new exhibition at HIVEArts, my first impression was that the artist had further consolidated his style since I last reviewed his work. His line is confident and assured, while the compositions are packed with detail that rewards careful viewing. Although rooted in comic book illustration without leaning too heavily on Manga influences, these are ambitious pieces with plenty to draw the eye. I was particularly taken with the skateboarder set against the urban cityscape.
There’s plenty of variety here. The back views of figures within more realistic cartoon settings feel relatively new, while the cityscape perspectives are executed with an accuracy I can only envy. The recurring side-eye woman — sometimes with her tongue out, sometimes without — appears throughout the exhibition and seems to embody its overall attitude.
The cultural influences are easy to spot, from Star Wars and Marvel comics to the Happy Mondays. Scattered throughout are little acts of rebellion, including messages such as ‘You suck!’. The characters Darren creates are gutsy, independent and self-assured. I also noticed various pieces of now-obsolete audio equipment, some of which I haven’t seen since the 1980s. Perhaps they’re making a comeback alongside vinyl records.
Some works move into more abstract territory. One piece, in particular, carries a strong post-punk or Gothic influence. And there, once again, is the side-eye woman. These mixed media works, with prints also available to buy, reward repeat visits as there’s always another detail to discover.
Darren and I sat down in the café window for a chat about the exhibition.
The show features a wide variety of pieces. Is there a central theme running through it?
I’m not sure there is a central theme. It’s still influenced by nostalgia, looking back at the childhood of the 1980s and ’90s. There’s lots of cultural references, all the stuff that as a teenager I really liked. The stuff you loved as a teenager, you tend to come back to as an adult, so they’re the line that goes through everything. I’ve experimented a little more with a graphic design approach, which is what the images in the pink frames are. A little more of a graphic image, which I might continue with; they tend to reuse images that I’ve created elsewhere.”
These images seem more complex than when I last interviewed you. Was that a conscious decision, or do the ideas simply keep coming?
Two years ago I had a show here and everything was very immediate, everything was done very quickly; quick decisions, and that sometimes meant good results and sometimes things I wasn’t quite happy with. This time everything’s a lot more considered in advance; sketched, worked out on the computer, designed, then going ahead and producing the final version. So there’s a little bit less work, but I’m happier with the results.
The woman looking out of the corner of her eye appears throughout the exhibition. What’s behind that recurring image?
There’s not really a reason for that, other than that I really liked the image. From the moment I sketched it, I was keen to use it in multiple ways and rather than choosing one way, I thought I’d just use all of them. That’s a benefit of digital illustration; you can use lots of different formats. I just love the image.
Do you use real people as the basis for your compositions?
Sometimes! There’s usually some kind of reference that’s used, but it’s always a combination of that and messing and imaginative stuff that come in. It’s never a true likeness of anyone. That’s deliberate. I’m not really bothered about portraits of people, I’d rather it be interpretive.
Your colour palette is bold without ever becoming garish. How have you arrived at that balance?
I love a good colour palette. I just worked on it over time. For a while I had some very bright colours in there. I think it’s just experience of what colour combinations go well together. I’ve decided that I don’t want to settle on a particular colour scheme, it’s a bit restrictive. It’s the vibrancy; it works particularly well in here against the black walls.
You have several deserted cityscapes, especially the skateboard piece. Are they intended as an environmental or social commentary?
That one was originally done during Covid when all the streets were deserted; you could head out and it seemed like a zombie apocalypse. There are a couple more recent ones, one in particular with the old police station just before it got knocked down. I like industrial architecture, concrete solid structures, brutalism. I’m never going to do a traditional landscape, it’s always going to be a worn away, but solid looking building.
Where do you see your work taking you next?
I don’t know, it’s time to get stuff done at the moment. Certainly interested in taking the graphic design element further. I’m not in any rush to commit to anything particular at the moment, just see how it goes.
Thanks, as ever, to Darren for sharing his thoughts on the exhibition and his creative process. Thanks also to the HIVE café team for their warm hospitality. After chatting with friends, I was well placed to catch the service 3A home.
Darren Elwell’s exhibition remains on display in HIVEArts’ ground floor gallery until 12 August 2026. It’s well worth taking the time to explore these richly detailed works, whether you’re discovering Darren’s art for the first time or following the continued evolution of his distinctive style.
