Introducing Contemporary Collective x Bankside Hotel's Spring Residency ft. Nicola Hyslop

Artist in Residence: 30 March - 28 June 2026 | ArtYard Studio, Bankside Hotel, SE1 9JU

Bankside Hotel x DA Gallery are delighted to welcome British contemporary artist Nicola Hyslop as their Spring Artist in Residence. Working within the language of contemporary abstract expressionism, Hyslop’s practice translates lived experience into colour, movement, and rhythm, creating paintings that feel visceral, immediate, and deeply human.

During her residency at Bankside, Nicola will develop a new large-scale series titled The Rhythm of Memory: An Intuitive Exploration. The works will function as emotional landscapes, distilling personal memories into gestural marks, layered textures, and dynamic compositions. Rather than approaching the canvas with a fixed blueprint, Nicola allows each painting to emerge intuitively, embracing spontaneity and the raw energy of the moment.

A central element of the residency will be the connection between sound and gesture. Deeply influenced by music, Nicola uses rhythm as a conductor for her physical movements across the canvas. Visitors to the Art Yard Studio will be able to access curated soundtracks via QR codes displayed alongside the works, creating a bridge between what they see and the music that shaped each piece. The result will be an immersive, multi-sensory experience that invites guests to feel the work as much as observe it.

The open-studio setting at Bankside offers a rare opportunity to witness the true birth of a painting. Guests will see the evolution of each canvas in real time, from initial instinctive marks to moments of refinement and resolution. Through conversation and shared interpretation, Nicola aims to make the abstract process accessible, encouraging viewers to see their own memories reflected within the shifting forms and colours.

The residency will culminate in a public viewing showcasing the complete body of work created during Nicola’s time at Bankside, offering audiences an intimate insight into her intuitive and process-led practice. Follow Nicola’s residency journey and behind-the-scenes moments via @Contemporary_Collective.

About Nicola: 

Nicola Hyslop is a British contemporary abstract expressionist whose work explores colour, movement, and the emotional texture of lived experience. With over fifteen years of professional practice, her paintings are held in private and commercial collections internationally. Nicola’s gestural approach embraces what she describes as “organised chaos,” allowing each canvas to remain alive with the intensity of the moment in which it was created.

View the full collection of Nicola's artworks

Residency Events:

Residency Collection Launch | 25th June, 6-8 pm: BOOK HERE

Residency Partners:

For any further information, please do not hesitate to contact Jenna Sachs: Jenna@DegreeArt.com / 020 3701 7411 / www.DegreeArt.com