Hailing from the small Indian Ocean island Mahe in the Seychelles, Christian Azolan is a visual artist who specialises in original, digital, abstract and high polygon art. He is known for his ability to capture simple yet beautiful detail in digital forms that push boundaries to merge drawing and illustration into a new visual art form.
Azolan was educated in the UK and calls London home. After completing a degree in fashion design at Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication, he worked in the fashion world for several years before he entered the corporate arena, working for a series of large global companies as a brand marketer and content specialist.
At the start of the UK pandemic lockdown when the world was thrown into disarray and confusion, Azolan decided to take the leap and pursue a full-time career creating and telling visual stories and ideas through his art.
Azolan’s art is heavily influenced by painting, photography, acrylic, 3D, silhouette, vivid colours, and tonal matching. His most celebrated work is inspired by people, environments and nature and his series titled ‘The Birds’ released in October 2020 plays on the themes of freedom, fantasy and escapism in flight, against the backdrop of the ongoing global pandemic and lockdowns.
‘There have been times in my life where I wish I had the wings so I could fly away, and flow with the ever-changing wind to a new destination and live out new adventures.’
Self-taught or art school?
Art School, I attend Ravensbourne and hold a BA in Fashion Communication and I’m studying my Masters in Fine Art from Central Saint Martins.
How would you describe your style?
I’m a mixed media artist, I love mixing different mediums, from digital drawing, photography, painting and gilding. I like the variety of mastering, exploring and playing with different mediums to generate new ideas.
Is narrative important within your work?
Yes, I think the narrative is key in my work and I also like to research and tell different stories to different people, I take the viewer on a journey, I like to use symbolism in my work, from representing things like time, love, people and scale.
Who are your favourite artists and why?
I’m obsessed with Deborah Roberts’s collage and how she captures the simplicity of faces, colour and the impact her work is having at the moment. I also like Barabra Walker’s work, her new series vanishing point is very emotional and her use of space and the missing is very apparent.
If you could own one work of art what would it be?
I would love to own Autumn Rhythm (Number 30) by Jackson Pollock which I visit at the Metropolitan Museum every time I’m in New York. To me, the artwork holds so much energy and the size and scale of the work are impressive, Because I work quite small in scale, I appreciate any artist who can work large.
What or who inspires your art?
Everyday people, my family, animals, emotions, time, social issues, justice and beauty, but not in the traditional sense. I like to look at the world around me and look closely and create simple and distilled art.
Are there any recurring themes within your work and can you tell us about them?
Time plays a big role in my art, I love looking at the changes it brings, from the sun, the moon, the solar system and the movement and the repetitive nature of that.
Where’s your studio and what’s it like?
My art studio is based in Perivale in West London, I’ve been working there since 2020 and It is 50% art studio and 50% refuge, it’s a place that brings me great joy, the moment I walk in I feel calm and I’m ready to create.
Do you have any studio rituals?
Yes, I always wear shorts in my studio, I don’t actually know why I have a special pair of studio shorts that I wear every time I create artwork. I’ve never been photographed in them, so you will never see it on my socials.
What are you working on currently?
For the last 2 years, I’ve been working on a series called ‘Little Black Girls’ which is gilded photography, paint and mixed media series which is a statement of empowerment and an open letter to representing black girls in art. I’m also working on a digital drawing series based on depression which has been 1 year in the making and I’m still not close to finishing.
Where can we buy your art?
On my website christianazolan.co.uk
What are your ambitions?
I’m working towards my first solo art show and one day I would love to have my artwork in a National Gallery in the UK.
Please also provide website / Insta.
Instagram: @christianazolan
