Paint & Riot Painting

Macklin Spicer is a self-taught Australian artist producing visually and texturally rich portraits in oil paint. Through their thick, impastoed works, Macklin explores a wide range of global issues - highlighting the tragic loss of life and innocence in crises such as the Syrian Refugee Crisis, the Israel-Palestine Conflict, the Covid-19 pandemic, and, in particular, the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In addition to their global focus, Macklin also creates paintings which seek to engage with the contemporary issues of gender and masculinity from their rural Victorian studio. Macklin’s passion and drive to create emotionally-driven, topical artworks find their roots in the works of Frank Auerbach, Wang Guangyi, and fellow Australian artist Ben Quilty. Shortly after graduating from high school in 2022, Macklin was exhibited at the International Baccalaureate Visual Arts Exhibition in Melbourne and was selected for an artist residency at Assumption College Kilmore.