Barbican Library is delighted to present the first overview of World Illustration Award shortlisted artist/illustrator Agustin Coll.
Agustin's art explores the narrative and expressive capacity of architecture, infusing it with a playful anthropomorphic quality that conveys his relationship with the built environment and the voices of those who inhabit it.
This exhibition brings together the work of the London-based Barcelona-born artist, including his surreal technical drawings, satirical cartoons and heartfelt illustrations inspired by the idiosyncrasies of 21st century living.
Expect scythe-wielding cemeteries, guitar-riffing concert halls, stressed-out office blocks, homes in literal lockdown and more. Agustin’s art imbues the everyday urban landscape with an animated energy, literally giving the city a life of its own.
But don’t be fooled by this humorous facade: in subverting the rules of architectural design, the invisible complexities of the spaces we occupy and share are laid bare.
These metropolitan characters appear to him during exploratory walks and cycle rides in his adopted home of London, and are influenced by land art, video games and avant-garde architectural groups such as Archigram.
In an industry undergoing a turbulent transformation with the advent of AI-generated imagery, Agustin’s wholehearted embrace of the hand-drawn process is an ode to the patience, perseverance and skill needed to bring an inspired, personal perspective to vivid life.
