Theme
Trained in architecture and with more than a decade of experience in oil painting, Spencer’s work juxtaposes the two fields with a playful complexity. His work resembles a memory palace of the human experiences of our cities, skillfully mitigating the contradiction of colour and the ambiguity of form. Spencer’s painting not only critiques the built environment where we live and breathe, but also becomes the uncanny space that occupies the in-betweenness of two- and three-dimensional modes of representation.

Medium & Techniques
With training in traditional oil painting techniques, Spencer often combines the hard-edge method prevalent in contemporary abstract art with these classical approaches. He also has a tendency to use sand to create a visceral sensation of texture and an illusion of depth.

On Symbolism & Interpretation
Spencer’s painting often pays homage to his love (and sometimes hate) towards architecture. For example, the use of black lines represents the universal symbol of a wall on a floor plan, and the axonometric/perspective projection in his painting is often used as a device to render the work without orientation. While the painting tells a story of the many places Spencer has visited in his travels, his intention is to evoke an emotional response without labelling the work with a specific place or experience.

On Artistic Influence & Evolution
Over the years, Spencer has developed a unique approach to the painting process. His paintings are meticulously designed as spatial interventions, like any architectural endeavour. Yet, spontaneity is expressed on canvas as artistic instinct takes over in colour and texture. For him, painting becomes a three-dimensional manifestation of his wild spatial constructs. Spencer’s understanding of space and form has been greatly influenced by architectural movements such as Deconstructivism and Archigram. His painting practice also traces its lineage back to artists such as Giorgio de Chirico, Malevich, and Zoë Zenghelis.