Prussian Spit marks the UK debut solo exhibition of Singapore-based visual artist Aryan Arora, signaling a pivotal evolution in his practice. Following his celebrated monochromatic body of work Silent Dialogues, Arora steps away from a strict black-and-white binary to immerse his world entirely in a singular, hypnotic hue: Prussian blue.

The shift in palette is not a departure from Arora’s core vision, but an intensification of it. Informed subtly by his perceptual orientation as a color-blind artist, his practice has long excelled in mapping tonal value, light, and high-contrast form. Prussian blue, a pigment historically associated with shadow, depth, and alchemy, allows the artist to paint time itself. Where Arora previously used pure monochrome to explore external masks, PRUSSIAN SPIT turns inward toward the quiet, repetitive rituals that happen behind closed doors. The canvas becomes a receptacle for the unobserved: studio fatigue, private solitude, and subtle moments of domestic routine.

Executed across both oil on canvas and raw fine linen, the physical surfaces hold a captivating material tension. Each canvas in this series is built through months of translucent oil glazes, creating a reflective, wet-look surface that traps light and memory beneath its layers. Highly polished works sit directly beside raw, immediate canvases where technical perfection is set aside in favor of pure, expressive brushstrokes. While color has entered the canvas, Arora’s signature technical discipline remains untouched; the figures do not merely exist in these scenes, they are baptized in blue.

Artist Statement

Stepping into color was deeply uncomfortable. For years, I found security in the strict, monochromatic discipline of black and white. Choosing to submerge my practice in Prussian blue was an intentional step into unfamiliar territory, terrifying, yet liberating. Throughout this process, my studio became an incubator drenched in blue. Working to the rhythm of Blues music, I was struck by the irony: a genre born from raw struggle brought a profound sense of calm to my creative space, striking a delicate balance between the destructive and the peaceful.

That same tension exists directly on these canvases. Some works were perfected over months, built through translucent glazes until the surfaces transformed into smooth, liquid mirrors. Others remain raw and immediate, setting aside perfection to honor the weight of an uninhibited brushstroke. While each piece stems from a distinct emotion and moment in the studio, Prussian blue acts as the singular thread binding them together.

People often perceive me as calm, much like these finished surfaces appear quiet and composed. Beneath that exterior, however, my mind is pure chaos. PRUSSIAN SPIT is an invitation into that inner landscape. As you move through the space, I hope you feel the friction behind the work, the weight of the strokes, the balance between the polished and the unrefined, and the quiet chaos within the blue.

Venue
Shug Gallery, UK

Artists
Aryan Arora

Exhibition Dates
Oct 9 – 25, 2026

Gallery Hours
Tuesday – Saturday | 11 AM – 5 PM

Website
https://shug-gallery.com/

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/shug.gallery/

Contact
contact@shug-gallery.com

About Artist

Aryan Arora (b. 1999, Saharanpur, India) is a Singapore-based visual artist. He holds a BA (Hons) in Fine Arts from LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore, awarded by Goldsmiths, University of London. Recognized by Republic World as one of the Visionary Personalities of 2026 and recipient of the People’s Choice Award 2025 at INSTINC Space’s 60/60: Singapore in Focus exhibition, Arora’s practice incisively explores identity, societal norms, memory, and the interplay between past and present through personal and collective lenses.

His work challenges entrenched taboos and cultural expectations by giving voice to overlooked narratives within contemporary society. Translating his unique perspective as a color-blind artist, Arora bypasses conventional chromatic reliance, instead anchoring his practice in a distinctive monochromatic and tonal palette. Through high-contrast oil application and a striking use of latex-textured, faceless figures, he constructs a symbolic visual language that interrogates the dualities of human experience: presence and absence, vulnerability and concealment, tradition and progress. These abstracted, mask-like forms evoke the blurred boundaries between what endures and what fades, inviting viewers to reflect on authentic selfhood beneath performative facades.

Arora’s work has been exhibited at institutions and venues including the Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore, Visual Arts Centre Singapore, INSTINC Art Space, The Substation Gallery, Art Dubai, Google Headquarters Singapore, and Mumbai International Airport. He is currently preparing to expand his international footprint with upcoming debut exhibitions in the UK and Europe.

Website: https://www.aryanarora.art

Instagram: @aryanaroraart

About Shug Gallery

Shug Gallery is an independent contemporary art gallery based in the heart of Norwich, UK, dedicated to discovering, exhibiting, and supporting exciting emerging and established artists from across the globe. Operating for six years, the gallery was originally established under the name Bluey Bluey before evolving into Shug Gallery, growing from a Norwich-based space into an internationally connected platform collaborating with artists, collectors, and creative partners throughout the UK and overseas.

Directed by Lee Ratcliffe, who brings over eight years of experience within the contemporary art industry, Shug focuses on identifying artists at pivotal stages in their careers and introducing their work to new audiences. International programming forms a cornerstone of the gallery’s identity, demonstrated through participation in major art fairs such as UVNT Art Fair in Madrid, exhibitions in the Philippines, and ongoing partnerships with artists based across Europe, Asia, and the United States.

From its permanent gallery space in Norwich, Shug runs an evolving program of solo exhibitions, group shows, and collaborative projects that allow established international names to sit alongside emerging UK talent. Guided by the belief that acquiring contemporary art should be exciting, personal, and accessible, Shug prioritizes building long-term relationships with collectors and fostering sustainable careers for the artists it represents. Through its physical space, global network, and independent approach, Shug continues to champion visionary contemporary art and connect it with audiences worldwide.

(Text and images courtesy of the artist and Shug Gallery)