Alec Cumming

Alec Cumming graduated from Norwich University of the Arts (2007) and has since worked internationally, having spent several years working in India. He now spends time considering his influences in different locations such as California and Sri Lanka.

His practice is rooted in the traditional medium of oil painting but the images that jump in and around the canvas are a vibrant and playful exploration of the idea of fleeting moments, reflecting on visual stimuli discovered during 3 years spent in India and travels since; made in his Norfolk studio. Creating a dialogue of mixing a western/eastern influence and the back and forth nature of the discussion happen on the surface of the canvas; moments, that may or may not have existed and ambiguous suggestions of objects evoke a sense of narrative. 

Alec’s work is also bound up in an interest in light and the ways in which it plays a part in memories; bright harsh light that makes colours pop and resonate or a shimmering haziness creating shapes and compositions from everyday objects. From this exploration of light, Alec has developed his style of abstraction, one which allows him to observe the world and translate it into a visual dialogue. 

Cumming has had global success, exhibiting extensively in both group and solo shows across the UK, India and the US among others. He has exhibited at 9 India Art Fairs and is the youngest artist to have a solo exhibition with the British Council in India. At the India Art Fair 2016 he was selected as ‘the one to watch’ by the art critics alongside G R Iranna and Francesco Clemente. The Fairhurst Gallery is pleased to be holding a solo show with Alec in the summer of 2022; his first solo exhibit in his home county of Norfolk since 2018.