Helen Sykes

I use figures and characters to explore the world of human emotions, memories, dreams and day-dreams. I am interested in Western Art History and the language of painting is important to me. A lot of my work is about process, surface, colour and spacial relationships, but not in an overly-formal way. Oftentimes, it aids the initial thought and at other times it kind of disrupts it, helping move the piece into new territory. My priority is not to make a direct representation of something, but is more about exploring the physical and emotional space between or around the objects or beings I am painting. The work is often about a moment slowed down. I become interested in the trajectory of something physical occupying the space or moving through it. It's not just physical space, but also emotional space. It's like you've pressed pause and everything grinds to a halt. In that place I can then explore feelings and movement and meaning and time... especially time. Hopefully the final painting becomes a permanent place to contain those thoughts, creating a kind of timelessness or time capsule.

Central St Martins College, London
University of East Anglia
University of Essex

Summer Exhibition THE GALLERY AT GREEN & STONE
27 Jul - 23 Aug 2026 South Kensington, London

Bright Endings - A Pop of Joy! GALLERY SAVE Dec 21 – Jan 10 2026 online show at ARTSY

Pop Up Show, Victoria Works, London Sep 2024

Pop Up Show, Victoria Works, London Sep 2023

Pop Up Show, Havelock Walk, London Dec 2019

'MAY DAY' Jeffrey Meier Gallery
Lambertville, NJ May 2015

SPRING FEVER: Emerging Artists From Saatchi Art
Hyatt Regency, London UK March - July 2014
Curated by Rebecca Wilson

My piece 'Ann Miller' is featured in the Saatchi online collection STRANGE VISIONS, curated by Katherine Henning, Assistant Curator at Saatchi Art.

My piece 'Hotel Reservations' is featured in the Saatchi online collection ANIMAL FARM, curated by Katherine Henning, Assistant Curator at Saatchi Art.

My piece ‘Horned Monkey’ from A Book of Amimals is featured in the Saatchi Online 2012 project ‘100 CURATORS 100 DAYS’ selected by Kim Knoppers curator at Foam International Photography Museum, Amsterdam

OUTPOST GALLERY members show 2011,
selected by Cerith Wyn Evans

ROYAL ACADEMY SUMMER EXHIBITION
London 2010

KUNSTWERK BAZAAR selected by Andrew Hunt
Outpost Gallery Norwich 2008

MIND AS MACHINE Shrews...