About Karl

Karl Allen (born 1975) is a queer artist based in London, whose paintings explore memories and experiences.
Allen uses a colourful palate of acrylics and pastels that serve as a contrast to the darker themes depicted in his works. Born in Croydon, his early life was marked by constant moves, and this upheaval, alongside childhood trauma, has shaped his art.

After graduating with a BA in Fine Art from Central Saint Martins, he initially worked as a cinematographer alongside his studio practice, developing and producing a personal documentary. However painting remained a constant passion, and he developed a
distinctive figurative-abstract style. Influenced by his family of painters and decorators, he embraced the materiality of paint, letting images evolve intuitively from his memories, while using specific colours to portray the emotions related to those experiences.

Discussing his process, Allen says: “I’ll strike a sheet of mountboard with a few pencil linesand then rotate it, searching for hidden shapes until a creature, a body part, or an everyday object emerges. Layers of pastel washes, powders, and spontaneous splashes build the
surface; written letters are reversed so they become forms rather than legible text.
London’s torn posters, street art, and constant motion echo through these pieces – forms appear, dissolve, and reappear as I turn the board again and again. Humour sneaks in
through odd juxtapositions and playful colour.”

​His work has been exhibited in both solo and group shows in London, Brighton, and Miami, with recent works exploring themes of class and the political and economic landscape.

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