Rex Southwick Artist: Capturing Architecture in Bold, Immersive Colour
Rex Southwick is a rising star in contemporary painting. His unique vision uses vibrant colour and architectural focus to challenge our ideas of aspiration, design, and the aesthetics of home. In this article, we explore Rex Southwick art, his style, motivations, and why collectors and galleries across the UK and beyond are drawn to his striking canvas work.
Who Is Rex Southwick?
Born in 1997 in the UK, Rex Southwick received a BFA from Leeds Arts University in 2018. Shortly after, he earned the AON Community Art Award. Southwick currently lives and works in London, where he seamlessly blends architecture, travel and contemporary painting techniques.
The Distinctive Style of Rex Southwick Art
Every painting begins with a striking pink ground coat. This vibrant base provides visual energy, creating contrast and harmony in his final compositions.
Southwick focuses on modernist houses: from Palm Springs desert estates to French Riviera villas. His attention is not on perfection, but on real details—shadows, textures, sunlight, plants, and human traces. Each canvas captures a moment of place and memory.
Colours pop. Pools shimmer. Shadows stretch. His compositions draw the eye to movement and material. Even when devoid of people, the scenes are full of presence and story.
Major Exhibitions and Collections
Querencia (2019): Southwick’s debut at Unit London introduced audiences to a series of domestic interiors and exteriors, often in flux. It focused on the architectural identity of the home.
Purple Lands (2020): This series delved into Californian homes. Pools, palms, and patios featured strongly—with colour-drenched scenes exploring the fantasy and form of desert living.
Topia (2023): Set in Palm Springs, this body of work was the result of a residency inside a Jacques Couëlle house. Southwick explored day-to-day scenes through an artist’s lens, embedding the feel of light and landscape into each work.
To Distraction (2025): His most recent solo show at Unit London returned to southern France. Villas once designed by icons like Eileen Gray and her contemporaries were reimagined in rich, saturated tones.
His work now resides in major public collections: Palm Springs Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, ICA Miami, Crocker Art Museum, and the Azman Museum Kuala Lumpur.
Why Rex Southwick Artist Matters
1. Reframing Architecture — Southwick does not just document buildings. He brings them to life with colour, light and emotion.
2. Visual Escape — His art feels like travel. Whether it's Provence or Palm Springs, you sense the sun, the quiet, the privacy—and the fantasy of being there.
3. Contemporary Relevance — By choosing homes not usually shown to the public, his work reflects shifting ideas of heritage, privacy, and design value.
4. Collector Appeal — With institutional support and growing popularity, Rex Southwick art holds both visual and cultural value.
Behind the Canvas
Southwick began painting without knowing where it would lead. Initially interested in landscape design and furniture, he found that art allowed him to blend all his interests into one.
He gains entry to private homes through relationships and trust. Often, owners know others with similarly designed homes, allowing him to explore entire networks of architecture.
His palette changes by region. In the south of France, the work becomes more saturated, with blues and yellows echoing the sunlight. Yet the pink base remains constant.
Looking Forward: What’s Next?
Southwick has hinted at turning his focus to the UK. English country houses, terraced homes, and post-war estates offer fresh material rich with local identity.
How to Experience Rex Southwick Art
- Check museum collections like Palm Springs Art Museum
- For collectors, see also Blowout’s guide to displaying art
Conclusion
Rex Southwick turns iconic architecture into bold, emotional landscapes. His saturated, accessible paintings tell stories of place, light and structure.
