Aaron Waghorn (b. 1978) lives and works in Wellington. He is a graduate of the Quay School of Arts and Design in Whanganui, where he graduated with a bachelor of fine arts in painting in 2001. Aaron was a finalist in the 2016 Wallace Art Awards, the 2016 Parkin Prize and the 2017 Molly Morpeth Canaday Art Award.

His influences include Picasso, Basquiat, Joe Bradley and Georg Baselitz. These are artists that use strongly expressive colour and abstraction to convey the richness of pop culture in contemporary art. Waghorn’s paintings are bold and contemporary, exploring geometric abstraction.

Aaron’s recent paintings convey new culture’s obsession with the end of days with a pop-punk style that infuses a sense of satirical mischief into each painting. A tsunami wave accompanied by a goddess, a burning house blasting rainbows, a still life flower arrangement with fireworks raining down.

Aaron draws inspiration from contemporary media, echoing Robert Raschenberg’s unique sense of what elements of life to bring into the painting in order to celebrate and represent the richness of modern life.

Aaron’s confident paintings bring excitement and vitality to a space, and a promise of constant eye-popping enjoyment. Perfect for those looking for a fresh take on modern painting or those looking to add to an eclectic interior.