Get happy with Aysen
Lift your spirits with a look at some of artist Aysen's favourite pieces of work and hear what making art means to her
My name is Aysen and I’m an artist.
"I like to make art on boards with bright acrylic paints and Posca pens.
Making art makes me feel happy. People at Heart n Soul are kind. I like making art with friends. My favourite moments making art with Heart n Soul were iPad drawing and working with Electric Fire."
Aysen’s art is full of colours and patterns. She uses acrylic paints, Posca pens and iPads to create her work. Aysen likes to collaborate with musicians, creating album artwork, visual scores and live performance visuals. She most enjoys working with or alongside other people.
Aysen first began really enjoying painting through a project at Heart n Soul called Never Bored, a summer residency run in collaboration with Could be Good and their project space. It was at the first exhibition where she started to call herself 'an artist'.
Never Bored Residency 1 (2017) by Aysen AktuHeart n Soul
"I put the paint on and let it dry then do the pens. I like the dots. Making patterns." – Aysen
Buzzin (2021) by Aysen AktuHeart n Soul
"It's beautiful. There's different colours."
Never Bored Residency 5 (2017) by Aysen AktuHeart n Soul
"It's like a fish!"
Never Bored Residency 2 (2018) by Aysen AktuHeart n Soul
"This was shown at the Southbank Centre at the Beautiful Octopus Club. I like it because of the very beautiful colours."
Aysen likes to collaborates with musicians, either creating art for album covers, live visuals for performance and visual scores. She's frequently collaborated with Heart n Soul’s electronic punk band Electric Fire. Her art has been used for their EP covers and bespoke costumes.
"I asked the band what colours are you thinking, they chose yellow, pink, blue and purple.
I listen to their (Electric Fire) music. It made me feel happy. And I made the artwork inspired by that."
Never Bored Residency 3 (2018) by Aysen AktuHeart n Soul
"I like to listen to music when I paint. Rosie (the designer) took a photo of my art, made the costumes and bring it round. It was lockdown. I don’t wear my trousers, they are too hot and sweaty!"
LSO Visual Score 2 (2018) by Aysen AktuHeart n Soul
Visual scores
Aysen also uses iPads to create art. Her patterns and use of colours have been used as a live visual score for the London Symphony Orchestra. Aysen drew patterns and the orchestra interpreted her marks into music.
"We use the iPad on the computer to make the lines. It was hard, sometimes the pen would not work. We listened to the music and we did our own work. I listen to music and they listen to us."
Visuals for Robyn Rockets (2021) by Em AktuHeart n Soul
She has also created live drawing for music performances such as Robyn's Rocket and their performances at Cafe Oto in East London.
"I did the painting for Robyn. I listen and paint what I feel. But I don’t like it when it’s too loud!"
"This is me in the garden. I do the big bits first and pen on top. It (takes a) long time to do the big ones. Weeks!
In lockdown I’d get bored. Making art was beautiful.
I want to make more art with people. And people can come and enjoy it."
Aysen’s artwork has been exhibited at Wellcome Collection, Southbank Centre, Tate Britain and Tate Modern, The Albany and LSO at St Luke's.
