Biography

John Kiki studied in London at Camberwell College of Arts and the Royal Academy of Arts, among other institutions. At Camberwell he was trained and encouraged by the artists Robert Medley and Frank Auerbach. After his successful graduation, he moved to the Royal Academy of Arts on the advice of Frank Auerbach. By the time he finished his studies in 1967, Kiki had already developed his unique, unmistakable style; a mixture between figurative painting, abstraction and pop art.

Kiki hails originally from Cyprus, and although he refers to various classical myths in his work, he feels that his upbringing in England has been more important for his art than the Mediterranean. The slightly louche vigour of the seaside town, the razzle-dazzle of the funfair and the lights of the seafront and piers have all fed into Kiki’s imagery.

He paints non-naturalistically, but employs recognisable figures in the flattened spaces of his vibrant compositions. Amazon and Epona, Leda and the Swan feature in modern (un)dress, along with fairy-tale characters, and unspecified lovers and dog-walkers such as may be encountered in everyday life.

Kiki draws with a wonderfully liquid line in acrylic paint, paring down the description to the most telling details, and increasing the intensity of the colour contrasts and surface textures. In so doing, he likes to reprise great masterpieces of the past, particularly by El Greco, Velázquez and Picasso.

John Kiki is an established artist both in the USA and, above all, in Europe. His work enthuses both young and old and is praised by art critics across the globe. He is an exceptional talent whose exhibitions attract positive attention wherever they are held.

Art Innsbruck 2020, for example, dedicated a special exhibition to John Kiki with over 25 large-format works of art.

Despite this success, John has always remained modest and, since his childhood, he lives primarily in Great Yarmouth on the East coast of England.

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John Kiki

ARTWORKS John Kiki

Vaulting, 1985
oil on canvas
152.5 x 168 cm
John Kiki
Vaulting

1985

oil on canvas

152.5 x 168 cm

verso signed

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Trumpeters of Gideon – Carmina Burana, 1994-1977
oil on canvas
196 x 203 cm
John Kiki
Trumpeters of Gideon – Carmina Burana

1994-1977

oil on canvas

196 x 203 cm

verso signed

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The chase (after Muybridge), 2012-2019
mixed media on canvas
185.5 x 186 cm
John Kiki
The chase (after Muybridge)

2012-2019

mixed media on canvas

185.5 x 186 cm

verso signed and dated

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Riding with Grandpa, 2014-2020
Acrylic on canvas
183 x 192 cm
John Kiki
Riding with Grandpa

2014-2020

Acrylic on canvas

183 x 192 cm

verso signed

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Pacis Visio, 2000-2013
oil on canvas
201 x 274 cm
John Kiki
Pacis Visio

2000-2013

oil on canvas

201 x 274 cm

verso signed and dated

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Night Rider, 2009-2015
mixed media on canvas
198 x 220 cm
John Kiki
Night Rider

2009-2015

mixed media on canvas

198 x 220 cm

verso signed and dated

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Mother and son, 2021
mixed media on canvas
182 x 76 cm
John Kiki
Mother and son

2021

mixed media on canvas

182 x 76 cm

verso signed and dated

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Meeting on bridleway, 2016
mixed media on canvas
200 x 188.5 cm
John Kiki
Meeting on bridleway

2016

mixed media on canvas

200 x 188.5 cm

verso signed

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Mary in Eptakomi confronted by her uncles hound, 2009
Acrylic on canvas
203 x 183 cm
John Kiki
Mary in Eptakomi confronted by her uncles hound

2009

Acrylic on canvas

203 x 183 cm

verso signed, dated and titled

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Infanta at the Opera, 2021
mixed media on canvas
36 x 31 cm
John Kiki
Infanta at the Opera

2021

mixed media on canvas

36 x 31 cm

signed lower right

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Best Friends Dancing Nude, 1980
Acrylic on canvas
133 x 142 cm
John Kiki
Best Friends Dancing Nude

1980

Acrylic on canvas

133 x 142 cm

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Infanta with niece and nephews, 2022
mixed media on canvas
41 x 31 cm
John Kiki
Infanta with niece and nephews

2022

mixed media on canvas

41 x 31 cm

signed lower right

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Countryside, 2022
mixed media on canvas
33 x 26 cm
John Kiki
Countryside

2022

mixed media on canvas

33 x 26 cm

signed lower right

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Dreaming Rider, 2022 - 2023
mixed media on canvas
107 x 99 cm
John Kiki
Dreaming Rider

2022 - 2023

mixed media on canvas

107 x 99 cm

verso signed and dated

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John Kiki
Beach Walk, 2017
acrylic on canvas
190 x 182 cm
John Kiki
Beach Walk

2017

acrylic on canvas

190 x 182 cm

verso signed and dated

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John Kiki
Village midwife, 2018
acrylic on canvas
50 x 40 cm
John Kiki
Village midwife

2018

acrylic on canvas

50 x 40 cm

signed lower right

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John Kiki
Infanta and Serving Maids, 2018
acrylic on canvas
67 x 67 cm
John Kiki
Infanta and Serving Maids

2018

acrylic on canvas

67 x 67 cm

signed lower right

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John Kiki
The Young Prince, 2018
acrylic on canvas
35 x 30 cm
John Kiki
The Young Prince

2018

acrylic on canvas

35 x 30 cm

signed lower right

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John Kiki
Amazed Boy, 2018
acrylic on canvas
58 x 53 cm
John Kiki
Amazed Boy

2018

acrylic on canvas

58 x 53 cm

signed lower left

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John Kiki
Albert, 2018
acrylic on canvas
25 x 20 cm
John Kiki
Albert

2018

acrylic on canvas

25 x 20 cm

signed lower left

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John Kiki
Angelo, 2018
acylic on canvas
25 x 20 cm
John Kiki
Angelo

2018

acylic on canvas

25 x 20 cm

signed lower left

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John Kiki
Tears of Joy, 2018
acrylic on canvas
36 x 31 cm
John Kiki
Tears of Joy

2018

acrylic on canvas

36 x 31 cm

signed lower right

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John Kiki
Princess, 2018
acrylic on canvas
73 x 63 cm
John Kiki
Princess

2018

acrylic on canvas

73 x 63 cm

signed lower right

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John Kiki
Andrea, 2018
acrylic on canvas
25 x 20 cm
John Kiki
Andrea

2018

acrylic on canvas

25 x 20 cm

signed lower left

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John Kiki
Surprise!, 2018
acrylic and mixed media on canvas
183 x 178 cm
John Kiki
Surprise!

2018

acrylic and mixed media on canvas

183 x 178 cm

verso signed and dated

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John Kiki
For the First Time, 2018
acrylic and mixed media on canvas
50 x 70 cm
John Kiki
For the First Time

2018

acrylic and mixed media on canvas

50 x 70 cm

signed lower right

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John Kiki
You are always on my Mind, 2017
acrylic on canvas
51 x 51 cm
John Kiki
You are always on my Mind

2017

acrylic on canvas

51 x 51 cm

signed lower right

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John Kiki
Keep Smiling, 2017
acrylic and mixed media on canvas
182 x 102 cm
John Kiki
Keep Smiling

2017

acrylic and mixed media on canvas

182 x 102 cm

verso signed and dated

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John Kiki
Samba, 2017
acrylic on canvas
183 x 100 cm
John Kiki
Samba

2017

acrylic on canvas

183 x 100 cm

verso signed dated

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John Kiki
The Governess, 2017
acrylic and mixed media on canvas
183 x 77 cm
John Kiki
The Governess

2017

acrylic and mixed media on canvas

183 x 77 cm

verso signed and dated

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John Kiki
Marquise, 2017
acrylic on canvas
73 x 63 cm
John Kiki
Marquise

2017

acrylic on canvas

73 x 63 cm

signiert unten rechts

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John Kiki
Village party, 2017
acrylicand mixed media on canvas
190 x 183 cm
John Kiki
Village party

2017

acrylicand mixed media on canvas

190 x 183 cm

verso signiert und datiert

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John Kiki
Affection, 2016
acrylic on canvas
192 x 182 cm
John Kiki
Affection

2016

acrylic on canvas

192 x 182 cm

verso signed and dated

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John Kiki
Heaven must have sent you, 2016
acrylic on canvas
183 x 149 cm
John Kiki
Heaven must have sent you

2016

acrylic on canvas

183 x 149 cm

verso signed and dated

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John Kiki
Brilliant Sculpture, 2016
acrylic on paper
56 x 76 cm
John Kiki
Brilliant Sculpture

2016

acrylic on paper

56 x 76 cm

signed lower right

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John Kiki
Alexander the Great, 2015
acrylic and mixed media on canvas
190 x 183 cm
John Kiki
Alexander the Great

2015

acrylic and mixed media on canvas

190 x 183 cm

verso signed and dated

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John Kiki
Epona, 2015
acrylic on canvas
183 x 168 cm
John Kiki
Epona

2015

acrylic on canvas

183 x 168 cm

verso signed and dated

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John Kiki Art
Laocoon, 2013
acrylic and mixed media on canvas
183 x 270 cm
John Kiki
Laocoon

2013

acrylic and mixed media on canvas

183 x 270 cm

verso signed and dated

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John Kiki
The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, 2013
acrylic on canvas
213 x 190 cm
John Kiki
The Burial of the Count of Orgaz

2013

acrylic on canvas

213 x 190 cm

verso signed and dated

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John Kiki
City Rider, 2012
acrylic and mixed media on canvas
184 x 198 cm
John Kiki
City Rider

2012

acrylic and mixed media on canvas

184 x 198 cm

verso signed and dated

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John Kiki
Leda and the Swan, 2008
acrylic on canvas
173 x 169 cm
John Kiki
Leda and the Swan

2008

acrylic on canvas

173 x 169 cm

verso signed and dated

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John Kiki
Trooper of the plains, 2008
acrylic on canvas
195 x 179 cm
John Kiki
Trooper of the plains

2008

acrylic on canvas

195 x 179 cm

verso signed and dated

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John Kiki
Moses, 1996
acrylic and mixed media on canvas
195 x 203 cm
John Kiki
Moses

1996

acrylic and mixed media on canvas

195 x 203 cm

verso signed and adted

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One of the 32 paintings created for the anniversary exhibition of Carl Orff – Carmina Burana

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John Kiki
Boat Trip, 1996
acrylic and mixed media on canvas
202 x 192 cm
John Kiki
Boat Trip

1996

acrylic and mixed media on canvas

202 x 192 cm

verso signed and dated

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John Kiki
Dancing together, 1990
acrylic on canvas
228 x 196 cm
John Kiki
Dancing together

1990

acrylic on canvas

228 x 196 cm

verso signed and dated

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John Kiki
Falling in Love, 1982
acrylic and mixed media on canvas
200 x 150 cm
John Kiki
Falling in Love

1982

acrylic and mixed media on canvas

200 x 150 cm

verso signed and dated

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