Nick Andrews

Nick Andrews (°1972, London, UK) is a painter known for his vivid, narrative-driven works that blur the boundaries between figuration, abstraction, and theatricality. He lives and works between Antwerp, Belgium, and Saint-Bonnet-Tronçais, France. From 1992 to 1996, he studied painting at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp (KASKA), where he has been teaching since 2008.

Andrews’ work is shaped by a deep interest in literature, film, history, and travel. Drawing from both high and low culture, he creates colourful, imaginary worlds in which the boundaries between illusion and reality dissolve. His compositions are constructed using the principles of the colour wheel, resulting in expressive, layered scenes full of symbolism, emotional contrast, and narrative ambiguity. A recurring figure in his oeuvre is Champagne Charlie, a decadent alter ego who moves through his theatrical universes.

His paintings have been exhibited widely, both in Belgium and internationally. Notable solo exhibitions include Within Me at De Warande, Turnhout (2015). Group exhibitions include Sanguine | Luc Tuymans on Baroque at Fondazione Prada, Milan (2019), and Salon de Peinture at M HKA, Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp (2019).

In 2004, Andrews was artist-in-residence at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris. In 2008, he was invited to participate in the Beijing International Art Biennale in China. In 2010, he was awarded the laureateship of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Sciences and the Arts (KVAB).

In 2024, he expanded his artistic practice into theatre, designing the scenography and actively contributing to Monopolis, a production by Theater Zuidpool.

His work is part of several public and private collections, including the Flemish Parliament, the University of Antwerp, the National Lottery of Belgium, TAMAT—Musée de la Tapisserie et des Arts Textiles in Tournai