The Twister

Twister is a visceral, surreal portrait of emotional contortion and inner tension. The segmented figure twists unnaturally, as if caught mid-transformation or mid-conflict. Its posture is both dynamic and strained, evoking a sense of being pulled in multiple directions.

This piece was inspired by moments of upheaval—times when identity, desire, and external pressures collided. It channels the raw, instinctive force of creation itself; how an artist contorts emotionally to birth something honest. The style, with its surreal abstraction and bold contrast, invites viewers to feel unsettled yet intrigued. It’s not realism, it’s emotional architecture. I chose this style to strip away literal form and expose the tension beneath, allowing the viewer to confront their own internal “twists” in response.

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Artists are often obsessive about their particular discipline and none more so than Nicholas Broughton who considers a day without painting or sculpting to be incomplete as he is a self-confessed “addict to the canvas”.

A fascination with the human condition and a childhood passion for painting and sculpture have crystalised in him resulting in a desire to paint pictures that are honest expressions of his inner feelings and personal experiences – “from the heart”. His varied background has no doubt contributed to this fascination for the vibrancy of life that he so confidently depicts in his paintings and sculptures.

Nicholas was born in Mali, in the part of Bamako which is now the home of the Malian jazz scene. From Mali he moved to Brighton in England at a young age and from there to Bangkok, Thailand, where he spent the next six years of his life absorbing the colours, smells and tastes of the Orient.

His most formative years were spent in Brazil where, in addition to learning Portuguese, he learned to adapt to a fascinating and variegated scene where different cultural backgrounds and traditions blend together. This time in Brazil helped to inspire his current "Favela" series.

The Brazilian artist Di Cavalcanti was an early influence but after he started painting seriously, the influence of Picasso, Modigliani, and Chagall has dominated his canvasses and sculptures. Nicholas’s clarity of idea and image, and distinctive sense of colour attest to his daring individual stance in making powerful impassioned statements.

“My paintings do not have to be considered beautiful as long as they make people think and instil in them the desired emotion. People see things differently, feel things differently and react to life differently, therefore a piece of art forms a unique relationship with each individual”. Nicholas.