For this month’s Artworks we spoke to Abby Prior, whose digital-inspired works are part of the currently ongoing New Art Exchange Open exhibition.
This artwork is called The Systems Within and was a part of my final degree show. It’s a collection of paintings in which I had envisioned what digital connectivity and the transmission of visual information would look like. The grid-like formation and vibrant colours visually display the complexity of these technological networks, implying a sense of limitlessness and interconnectivity. The static lines and format suggest an infinite flow beyond the canvas, evoking the charge and tension of interconnectivity.
The process of creating these works starts digitally, through an iterative process of editing, distorting, layering and reorganising coloured pixels. A randomiser tool with multiple settings allows me to create limitless generations of compositions, which I edit further if needed. These are then translated into paintings using acrylics. The painting process becomes almost meditative and systematic, but there's a very human presence in the work: visible brushstrokes, uneven lines, and occasional imperfections.
The paintings serve as a response to our fast-paced and digital-dominated lives by reclaiming the significance of human presence and materiality. The time it takes to paint can vary in terms of complexity. The Systems Within took around a month to create, but some of my smaller paintings take around ten hours.
I was born and brought up in Beeston and moved with my family to Long Eaton when I was eight. I completed a Foundation Degree in Fine Art at Loughborough University and then a Fine Art degree at Leeds Art University. After finishing my degree in 2024 I returned to Nottingham, where I still live and work.
My journey as an artist started with doing crafts with my mum when I was little. It felt like every weekend or holiday we did something different. I knew from around GCSEs it was what I wanted to continue, but hitting an artist’s block before university made me question what I wanted to create.
I then turned towards abstract geometrics while studying, beginning with the concept of the pixel and digital imagery. I’m now working full time and finding time to paint is much harder, so I’m using coloured crayons and pens to create looser and intuitive works.
What inspires me the most is colour. One of the first artists to really help me understand colour and abstract art was Hans Hoffman - he showed me how much importance colour has in creating a dynamic painting. As I combine painting with digital, artists like Dan Hayes and Hito Steyerl are also very inspirational, as well as the evolving nature of AI.
I am delighted to have been selected for the New Art Exchange Open 2025 - it is such an honor to be part of this exhibition alongside such exciting and amazing artists. I have also been selected for the Emerging Artist Award at the Melbourne Art Festival which takes place in September, which I am also very excited about; it is giving me the opportunity to sell my paintings and prints.
You can check out ‘The Systems Within’ at the New Art Exchange Open until 13 September 2025.
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