Christian Hiadzi

Christian Hiadzi creates powerful figurative paintings that blur the lines between realism and abstraction, inviting viewers to engage with both visual beauty and emotional unease. His portraits draw from a deeply personal archive, combining childhood memories from Ghana with everyday life in the UK, alongside references from social media, photography, dreams, and magazines. Through this layered fusion, Hiadzi explores the complexity of identity and emotion, often capturing a quiet intensity within the ordinary. His work serves as a visual catalyst, not only evoking introspection but also encouraging the viewer to stretch the boundaries of imagination. Exhibited and collected internationally, Hiadzi’s practice is rooted in both intuitive experimentation and a rigorous sense of purpose. 

YOUR WORK OFTEN BALANCES BETWEEN FIGURATIVE REPRESENTATION AND ABSTRACTION. WHAT DRAWS YOU TO THIS IN-BETWEEN SPACE?

This is a space that does not fully define the work, but leaves a lot to the imagination of the viewer, to create dialogue with the work and find their own meaning.

YOU INCORPORATE FRAGMENTS FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD IN GHANA AND YOUR CURRENT LIFE IN THE UK. HOW DO THESE TWO CULTURAL ENVIRONMENTS SHAPE YOUR PERSPECTIVE?

The two cultural environments form the foundation or the cornerstones to my outlook on life, and together they help mould me and subconsciously influence my work.

THERE’S A QUIET TENSION IN YOUR PORTRAITS, SOMETIMES UNSETTLING BUT DEEPLY HUMAN. WHAT EMOTIONAL TONE ARE YOU SEEKING TO CONVEY THROUGH THIS?

I am inspired by the human condition, which we all experience day in, day out, in the form of happiness, sadness, fear, tension, mystery, pain and death. These are the emotions I want to convey in my work.

MUCH OF YOUR SOURCE MATERIAL COMES FROM MODERN LIFE – SOCIAL MEDIA, PHOTOGRAPHY, MAGAZINES. HOW DO YOU CHOOSE WHAT TO INCLUDE AND WHAT TO LEAVE OUT?

It’s a feeling you can’t explain, when you see or try to imagine what you want to paint, you just know it. Also, a lot of my source material comes from my subconscious.

YOUR PAINTINGS SEEM TO SPEAK TO BOTH PERSONAL MEMORY AND BROADER, SHARED EXPERIENCES. DO YOU SEE YOUR WORK AS AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL?

Of course, to a certain degree, all my work is autobiographical. There’s some element of me in each and every one of my paintings.

YOU’VE DESCRIBED YOUR PRACTICE AS A WAY TO CHALLENGE AND ENHANCE THE VIEWER’S IMAGINATION. WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE OR REFLECTION DO YOU HOPE YOUR WORK GENERATES?

First and foremost, I paint for myself. What other people make of my work is secondary. It doesn’t bother me that much if they like or dislike my work, so long as they can have an emotional or mental reaction to the work.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE PART OF 4BYSIX, AND HOW DO YOU VIEW THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN ART AND SOCIAL IMPACT?

I am honoured to be part of 4bysix and feel privileged to be able to use my talent to make positive changes to society.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE PIECE YOU’VE CREATED FOR THE UPCOMING AUCTION? WHAT INSPIRED THE COMPOSITION AND ITS EMOTIONAL ATMOSPHERE?

This piece is inspired by self love. Based on the notion that, for one to have positive impact in society, one ought to learn to take care of themself, first.

HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE INTUITION VERSUS INTENTION WHEN PAINTING? DO YOU START WITH A CONCEPT OR LET THE IMAGE EMERGE THROUGH THE PROCESS?

It depends really and it’s a mix of both. But the true essence of the artwork emerges through the process.

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY EXPLORING IN YOUR PRACTICE, EITHER THEMATICALLY OR TECHNICALLY? ARE THERE NEW DIRECTIONS YOU’RE EXCITED TO PURSUE?

I am still exploring the human condition through portraiture, which is such a huge subject matter. I am constantly exploring ideas, directions, watch this space.