Inside Jack Willshaw’s Inspiringly Beautiful Art Showcase

Intriguing, raw and unordinary is what you can expect from Jack Willshaw’s next showcase at the Maiden Collective Exhibition at Safehouse 2.

Becoming the talk of “upcoming artists in the UK,” Jack has been chaining together one showcase after another. While still a student at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, his artwork has already reached a wide audience — landing a spot in i-D magazine’s top submissions for May’s Month in Photos.

Deeply rooted in the emotional and material landscape of Northern England, Jack’s work lies at the intersection of place, memory, and working-class identity. He describes his work as exploring “themes of displacement, cultural decay, and resilience,” words that resonate through each of his creations.

There is something arresting about his art. His illustrations and digital pieces are the kind you stop for. There is an element to it that is unexpected, unordinary, and that tells its own story. His pieces feel raw, immediate and deeply personal. Jack plays with bright colours and rough textures; the everyday scenery he collects and transforms is filtered through an eye that sees the beauty and the melancholy in overlooked places.

For a young artist, Jack Willshaw’s trajectory is already compelling. He doesn’t shy away from the grit and contradictions of the world he comes from — instead, he makes them the centrepiece. He isn’t afraid of playing with different textures, colours, contrasts, and most importantly, whatever he creates all remains in his own vision, in its own world.

Jack is more than a visual artist — he’s a true multidisciplinary talent, combining design and storytelling in ways that make him stand out. His practice moves seamlessly from digital illustration and concept art to filmmaking and environmental storytelling. In 2024, he directed A Corner Of The North, a short film that combines animation and live-action to paint an evocative portrait of Teesside. The film unfolds as a cinematic triptych, projecting the quiet strength and layered history of North East England across multiple screens.

His art is definitely not one to miss, especially if you are looking for something new, something a bit different, something with a different lens than what we might be used to.

So if you find yourself at Safehouse 2, don’t just pass by — stand still, take it in, and let Jack’s work tell you its story.

Written by Mhia Vignoulle

Read more Art and Culture articles from KLATMAG