Nathan Eastwood

Nathan Eastwood is a contemporary Social Realist Painter who was born in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria and is currently based in London and Rochester, Kent in the United Kingdom. He is recognized for his social realist paintings that are created using photographs captured with a camera phone.

The artist’s choice of subjects are primarily working class and petty bourgeoisie individuals, portraying ordinary people who play a crucial role in keeping the system running. Working with oils on gesso board, the artist’s painting process is very detailed and thorough and began with a small greyscale (grisaille) painting titled ‘A Man After Ilya Repin Owen Heart’ in 2011. Following this, the artist has produced many paintings with the same melancholic tone.

The artist aims to create a contemporary kitchen sink realist painting; visually rooted in the language of photo-based realism and the conceptual premise of Social Realist Aesthetics. Termed as ‘Social Realist Painting as Creative Repetition’, the concept is supported by philosopher Alain Badiou, who advocates for repeating philosophical acts to bring about new variations. The artist’s aim is to create a new and innovative form of art with this conceptual proposition.

Biography
Nathan Eastwood (b. 1972), graduated with a degree in Fine Art (1st) in 2005 from the Kent institute of Art and then completed an MA Fine Art Degree from Byam Shaw School of Art in 2009.

Eastwood’s breakthrough showing of the painting ‘Nico’s café’ won him, the East London Painting prize (as the inaugural winner). As part of the award, he went on to enjoy his first major solo exhibition at the Nunnery Gallery in 2014 and was awarded a generous financial sum of money. 

Alongside numerous solo and group shows, he has been short listed for the John Moores Painting Prize; the Threadneedle Prize, and the Celeste Art Prize.

In 2014 Eastwood designed, organised and curated a group show titled ‘Towards a New Socio-real Painting’ at the Transition Gallery, London.