5. Jonathan Tignor

Ahead of his MA degree show, artist Jonathan Tignor talks about his recent interest in visual binaries, finding a balance between research and intuition, the life cycles of paintings, and much more. Jonathan Tignor's (b. 1997, Dallas TX) paintings betray a concern with narrative. However, this is a conflation of his interests in imagery and tension. Stories are built around tension, and Tignor uses this as the building material in his paintings. Consequently, the narratives that then unfold are never clear. They simmer in ambiguity and allow space for the creative act within the processes of looking and interpretation. Tignor's paintings ask viewers to linger with the strangeness of what's before them and question the role of their viewership through images that integrate themes like violence and precarity. There is a desire to look, a desire to look away, and a persistent wish to see something you shouldn't. Tignor is a London-based artist originally from Dallas, Texas. He graduated from Colorado College with a BA in Creative Writing in 2019, and went on to receive a Post-Baccalaureate in Studio Art at the Burren College of Art in 2023, and a MA in Painting from the Royal College of Art in 2024. • Jonathan's work: https://www.jonathantignor.com/ • Jonathan's Instagram: @jtig.art