Derek Aylward (b. 1976, Boston, MA) is a figurative painter whose raw, boldly colored, and roughly expressive works are reminiscent of graffiti or folk art, balancing tension with humor to reflect the absurdity of the modern condition. Using repetition as a means of confronting the limitations of both paint and his own technique, Aylward’s paintings often feature the same motif, generally a figure or a face, painted over and over again with subtle variations of line or color. Aylward has said he draws constantly, mainly from memory or imagination. He lives and works in Quincy, Massachusetts. Aylward attended The Art Institute of Boston from 1997-1999, and has exhibited in group shows at V1 Gallery (Copenhagen), Sorry We’re Closed (Brussels), Blum & Poe (Los Angeles) and Nassima-Landau (Tel Aviv).