While this project was undertaken as a collaboration with Soft Punk prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the coming of the first lockdown necessitated a change of tack from Aitken: left in solitude and uncertainty while continuing to work in his studio, Aitken took the opportunity to reflect and react to his circumstances, circling around a lost sense of time and dislocation. Both of these themes are communicated in the title Now + Never; we think back to entire lifetimes happening in mere days, while hopes for the future seemed dashed irreparably.
Now in the second lockdown, the conditions that led Aitken to produce this body of work are once more upon us, forcing us to again find order in our social, economic, and governmental chaos, or perhaps find ways to express our internal disorder while being confined by rigid regulations. Made unmistakably contemporary to the current moment by renewed restrictions, the work on display encourages a look to the past in order to make sense of the future, while capturing the rawness of frustration in the present.
Produced on industrial plywood with the artist’s signature, probing style — using brighter tones to underscore more sinister, muted colours — Now + Never stands as a coherent body of work from one of London’s most promising young artists.
To enquire about a catalogue, please contact Jacob at jpbarnes@softpunkmag.com
Additionally, we asked Marcus to produce a playlist in commemoration of the event, which you can find below:
Finally, Soft Punk, in collaboration with the artist, is proud to offer a limited edition print in an edition of 50, available for purchase through the Soft Punk Market.
