ARTS & CULTURE / REVIEW
FIRST IMPRESSION An Exhibition by Edward Akrout Wo r d s S h e l b y W e l i n d e r
G
uests surrounded by foliage and fairy lights gathered to mingle in the garden patio of The Hoxton, the effortlessly cool hotel in East London. They were there for actor and artist Edward Akrout at the opening of his art exhibition, First Impression. With corridors lined with Akrout’s charcoal, ink and acrylic designs, and larger oil paintings adorning the lobby entrance, the collection originated in New York City in the autumn of 2013 when a back injury immobilized Akrout. Despite being paralyzed by pain, the city’s energy inspired him, coaxing him from his solitude into the streets. He
fueled his emotions into an array of contemporary abstract drawings and paintings, and completed the series in London at the beginning of the year. Akrout’s work has stemmed from numerous stories and portraits of vibrant individuals he
THIS IS A COLLECTION OF
first impressions THE world made on Akrout has met throughout his life, with each narrative making a stronger impression than the last. Painting came naturally to Akrout, who was raised in an artistic family. After selling his works privately for many years, he publicly debuted them in February 2015.
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Raised in France, and after studying in Paris, he moved to the UK to study acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Since graduating in 2008, Akrout has been prominent on both the screen and the stage. However Akrout is quick to point out that, even though he can handle the daily criticism he faces as an actor, the idea of establishing himself within the art community terrifies him. Evidently this has been the most personal venture for him. There is an unmistakable connection between Akrout’s two chosen disciplines: As an actor his job is to inhabit different emotional states, and as an artist, he has an uncanny ability to capture the emotions of characters that he comes across. Akrout simply stated that his collection is an array of first impressions the world made on him. The exhibition runs at The Hoxton Shoreditch until January 2, 2016. ◆ 81 Great Eastern St, EC2A; thehoxton.com
DECEMBER 2015
17/11/2015 15:38