Untitled, 2021

Jordy Kerwick, an Australian-born, France-based artist, has quickly risen to prominence in the contemporary art world for his raw, energetic paintings that blend mythology, symbolism, and pop-cultural references. Self-taught and instinct-driven, Kerwick’s work often incorporates motifs of animals, talismans, and tribal iconography layered with bold colors and textures. His style fuses street-art immediacy with a painterly, expressive edge, often evoking a sense of primal storytelling. Kerwick’s compositions feel both ancient and modern, balancing ferocity with humor, chaos with control. His visual language has resonated deeply with collectors and critics alike, cementing his place as a powerful voice in the new wave of figurative painting.

His 2021 untitled work—an oil, acrylic, and spray paint piece on canvas measuring 63 x 51 inches—is arguably one of his most iconic. The piece features a double-headed tiger rug entangled with a double-headed cobra, both adorned with striking eagle feathers, all set against a rich, blood-red background. This mythic tableau bursts with symbolic intensity, referencing power, danger, duality, and transformation. The layering of media gives the painting a visceral, almost tactile energy, while the symmetrical, totemic composition heightens its ritualistic undertones. Signed on the verso, the artwork encapsulates the essence of Kerwick’s style: feral, symbolic, and instantly unforgettable.