When most people return from hanging out with a DJ in Ibiza, they might have a selfie to show for it at best, an almighty hangover at worst.
But artist Christian Hook enjoyed a rather different takeaway after meeting DJ Archie Hamilton on the White Isle in 2023.
The encounter inspired Electronic Paintings, an innovative series capturing the essence of electronic music through multi-dimensional, AI-enhanced portraits.
Merging classical figures with AI-generated imagery and retro gaming textures inspired by Atari, Hook crafted layered paintings that know all about ‘waiting for the drop’.
The music guided his brushstrokes, creating a dynamic fusion of past and present with the final pieces also highlighting AI’s ability to help bring order to chaos.
Horses Of The Sun by Christian Hook
Imagine by Christian Hook
It’s not the first time Hook has enjoyed a transformative moment. The biggest in his career was arugably in 2014 when he won the Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year.
It catapulted him into the international spotlight and led to high-profile commissions, including portraits of Sir Ian McKellen, Sarah Ferguson, and Dame Judi Dench, among others.
Sir John Leighton, Director-General of the National Galleries of Scotland selected his portrait of actor Alan Cumming from more than 100,000 pieces for his list of ‘100 masterpieces’, alongside works from Rembrandt, Picasso and Matisse.
But his most recent collection, Drawings from Somewhere Else, takes a more self-reflective tack, the artist creating them after the loss of a close friend. They were so highly acclaimed that they were shown at the National Portrait Gallery last year.
Initially developed on his iPad and later transformed into physical artworks, this deeply emotional body of work explores memory, past lives, and farewells.
We caught up with Hook to learn more…
Square Mile: Talk us through both your techniques and material for these latest works…
Christian Hook: In each series I work on, I like to explore entirely new materials and techniques. I even build my own tools for the process.
This time, I experimented with different types of paper, testing out about six varieties to see how they would interact with the other materials I used. I also incorporated gels with acrylics and other paints to create layered transparencies, adding depth to the pieces.
Every project brings a fresh approach for me, as I rarely use the same materials twice. I even ventured into unconventional sources like household items. For example, I visited a kitchen store and a discount shop where I found inexpensive plastic items with unique patterns. I used these to create stencils for spray painting or to imprint textures onto the pieces.
Many of my works began with these kitchen and household tools as the foundation, which helped set the tone and structure for the rest of the painting.
Study Drawing From Somewhere Else by Christian Hook
SM: How does Drawings from Somewhere Else fit into your broader body of work?
CH: The "Drawings from Somewhere Else" series holds a very special place, as it was a turning point in my creative process where I discovered new facets of what I could do.
The series emerged from a deeply personal and emotional experience – I went through a significant loss, not in terms of death, but it was still quite traumatic for me. In response, I started drawing without overthinking, almost instinctively.
A key element of this process was using a new tool on the iPad that created these strange, unintentional marks. From those marks, I began to see shapes – perhaps a shoulder or other recognisable forms – and the drawings unfolded from there.
It felt as though I knew exactly how to develop each piece as if guided by something beyond conscious thought. I'm still unsure whether these images came from my memory, a collective memory, or something more abstract like a past life. The experience felt very intuitive and fluid.
It felt as though I knew exactly how to develop each piece as if guided by something beyond conscious thought.
Another realisation I had during this process was that I possess a photographic memory for imagery – I can draw anything without needing a reference. This was a skill I hadn’t fully realised until working on this series, and it changed how I approached both drawing and painting. For instance, in the piece "Blue Horse" (also titled "Moksha," meaning Liberation of the Mind), I applied this new way of working, allowing the imagery to flow naturally from my mind without the need for external sources.
I didn’t actually draw it first – I went straight to painting, and somehow, I knew exactly what to do. The image was already in my mind, but the strange part is, I’ve never seen a blue horse before. I’ve never seen any of the elements that came out in that piece. Yet, I knew exactly where everything should go, what colors to use, and how it all fit together. It felt as though I could sense the entire painting, almost like I was channeling it.
I discovered something new in that process, though I’m still not entirely sure what it is. That’s why I named the series 'Drawings from Somewhere Else' – because the images feel like they’re coming from a place beyond my conscious mind. I really like the concept because it taps into something deeper, something that goes beyond just technical skill or deliberate planning.
Campbell Donaldson from RALIA MEDIA
SM: Are there any challenges you faced while creating these pieces?
CH: Yes, I face challenges every time I create something new. The concepts I work with often feel either impossible or nearly impossible to achieve. I’m always pushing boundaries, and that makes the process difficult from the start.
One of the biggest challenges is working with unfamiliar materials. For example, in this series, I painted over iPad drawings, which was a completely new approach for me. Since I constantly experiment with new techniques and materials, I don’t always know how they will behave, which means a lot of trial and error.
Many of these experiments fail—like the first ten pieces I attempted, which I had to set aside because they just didn’t work. But with each attempt, I learn what works and what doesn’t, which ultimately helps refine my process. In the past, I used to get frustrated when things didn’t go as planned, but over time I’ve come to enjoy the unpredictability. Now, I focus on making the process itself something I can fall in love with, so the act of creating becomes just as important, if not more, than the final result.
Christian Hook’s Electronic Paintings series, including the paintings from Drawings from Somewhere Else, were shown at the National Portrait Gallery last year. To purchase his work, head to Clarendon Fine Art, clarendonfineart.com
