David Drain

Creating abstract artworks has become my primary language. It is not only a means of expression but a way of communicating through painting, of revealing subtle layers of meaning and quiet mystery held within form, texture, line and hue. Abstraction allows me to work beyond the literal and to engage with sensation, atmosphere and intuition, inviting the viewer into a space that is resonant and contemplative.
In my practice, I strive to balance impact and subtlety. My paintings often appear light and dreamlike at first glance, yet they remain grounded through structure, material presence and compositional intent. Over time, my approach has become increasingly minimal, not as an act of reduction, but as a process of refinement.
Each work emerges through a careful negotiation between intention and intuition. I allow the material to speak, embracing moments of unpredictability while maintaining an underlying sense of order. This dialogue between care and spontaneity is central to my process, as it mirrors the complexity of lived experience and the delicate balance between stability and change.
Ultimately, I seek a form of lucid abstraction. I want my paintings to have an immediate, evocative presence that draws the viewer in, while a...

Despite his early interest in art, David studied Engineering at University in Glasgow, living and working across the globe including Switzerland, France, the Middle East, Ukraine, and the UK.
After a successful career he returned to his passion for art.
David has been a full-time artist since 2016.

Please contact curator@saatchiart.com for more details.

MAJOR SOLO EXHIBITION, "ABSTRACT ONLY"
Kulturfabrik, Schopfheim, Germany. 70 Artworks.
26 May - 6 July 2025

SOLO EXHIBITION, "ABSTRACTION"
Museum Römervilla, Grenzach-Wyhlen, Germany
10 October - 12 Dezember 2023

SOLO EXHIBITION, "KUNST AM FOYER"
Endress & Hauser, Maulburg, Germany
12 September - 22 November 2023

SOLO EXHIBITION, "ABSTRACT PAINTING"
Kunsthuus Kleines Wiesental, Germany
4 June - 18 August 2023

GROUP EXHIBITION, ARTE BINNINGEN
4-13 November 2022, Binningen, Switzerland.

GROUP EXHIBITION, SWITZERLAND
Frontofbicycle Gallery, Galerie Katapult, Basel
08 - 14 April 2022

LUX EXPO
International Contemporary Art Fair, LUXEMBOURG
Van Gogh Art Gallery
17 - 19 September 2021

GROUP EXHIBITION, PARIS
Galerie Sonia Monti,
October-November 2020

MARBELLA INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR
23 Sept - 3 October 2020, SPAIN
Van Gogh Art Gallery

GROUP EXHIBITION, SPAIN
Artbox Projects, Barcelona, Spain
18-22 March 2020

GROUP EXHIBITION, SWITZERLAND
SwissArtExpo, Zürich, Switzerland
20-24 August 2020

GROUP EXHIBITION, SWITZERLAND
Frontofbicycle Gallery, Voltahhalle, Basel
09 - 11 November 2018

GROUP EXHIBITION, GERMANY
Hebel Museum, Hausen im Wiesental
October 2018

SOLO EXHIBITION, SWITZERLAND
HGP Partners, Basel, Switzerland,
Nov...