Emma Hurst

Unstretched paintings made by staining raw canvas and linen with pigment, then folding and compressing them. Installed in response to place. Based in Arundel, West Sussex.

Paintings

Square painting in deep teal and blue, divided by folded creases into a nine-part grid with lighter triangles in the corners. Erasure No.7, 2019 by Emma Hurst.

Erasure No.7, 2019
Pigments and gesso on canvas
140 × 140 cm

Square painting in plum and magenta, a nine-part grid of folded creases with bright pink triangular corners. Erasure No.2, 2019 by Emma Hurst.

Erasure No.2, 2019
Pigments and gesso on canvas
150 × 150 cm

Turquoise linen crumpled and stained, dark pigment gathered in the creases like a map of the folds. Erasure No.3, 2022 by Emma Hurst.

Erasure No.3, 2022
Pigments and gesso on linen
71 × 71 cm

Horizontal bands of black and charcoal grey across a square canvas, with faint diagonal fold lines. Erasure No.10, 2021 by Emma Hurst.

Erasure No.10, 2021
Pigments and gesso on canvas
120 × 120 cm

Square canvas of alternating black and grey horizontal bands with faint diagonal creases. Untitled, 2019 by Emma Hurst.

Untitled, 2019

A vertical band of stained pink canvas set on a deep navy ground. Untitled, 2020 by Emma Hurst.

Untitled, 2020

Strips of lilac-pink canvas woven into a loose lattice, draped over a fringed navy panel. Untitled, 2020 by Emma Hurst.

Untitled, 2020

Rows of pale cloud-like shapes lifted out of a deep indigo ground above a dark horizon band. Untitled, 2022 by Emma Hurst.

Untitled, 2022

Deep blue square canvas with folded diagonals forming a large X and a central grid. Untitled, 2022 by Emma Hurst.

Untitled, 2022

A soft blue square floating on a smoky grey ground. Untitled, 2020 by Emma Hurst.

Untitled, 2020

Installations

Long unstretched canvas drops in red, navy, grey and ochre hanging from ceiling to floor in a white gallery. Eutopia, 2019 by Emma Hurst.

Eutopia, 2019

Large vermilion canvas folded into a free-standing tent-like structure on a gallery floor. Canvas Structure, 2019 by Emma Hurst.

Canvas Structure, 2019

Stained canvases in deep red, blue and magenta suspended and twisted through the roof space of a timber barn. Flight, 2021 by Emma Hurst.

Three canvas panels in green, turquoise and orange-red stretched between the pillars of a barn undercroft at South Stoke. Untitled (Idyll), 2024 by Emma Hurst.

Untitled (Idyll), 2024
Pigment dye and gesso on canvas
Three panels, dimensions variable

A single length of navy and deep red canvas twisted as it falls from ceiling to floor in a white room. Untitled, 2019 by Emma Hurst.

Untitled, 2019

New work, 2025

Collage of stained canvas planes in red, yellow, green and magenta under a translucent pale sheet. Untitled, 2025 by Emma Hurst.

Untitled, 2025

Collage of pieced canvas in coral, green, cream and maroon forming a large V shape. Untitled, 2025 by Emma Hurst.

Untitled, 2025

Process

Folded canvas compressed under timber planks on the studio floor, 2019. Studio process of Emma Hurst.

Freshly stained canvases laid out to dry on grass, 2024. Studio process of Emma Hurst.