Born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1985, Struan Hopwood has been drawing for as long as he can remember. After emigrating to Australia with his family in 2003, he continued to pursue his passion for art, completing both an Arts Degree and a Diploma in Fine Art. Even long before formal study, sketchbooks, schoolbooks and any spare piece of paper quickly became filled with drawings, laying the foundations for the distinctive visual language that defines his work today.

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Struan's paintings bring together the many influences that have shaped his practice over the years. Street art, manga, fine art, tattoo culture, illustration, realism and popular culture all sit comfortably alongside one another, each adding something unique to the final work.

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At first glance, many of the paintings appear to be constructed from torn paper, sketches, found imagery and collage. In reality, every element is painted entirely by hand. This illusion of collage reflects the way influences, experiences and ideas accumulate over time. Individually they are fragments. Together they become something whole.

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Throughout the work, loose ballpoint-style drawings sit beside highly rendered realism. Graphic blocks of colour interrupt detailed portraiture, while expressive mark making exists alongside refined painting techniques. Rather than settling into a single visual style, Struan embraces the tension between contrasting approaches, allowing multiple visual languages to exist within the same composition.

While visually layered, the work is ultimately centred on identity and the experiences that shape us. Struan explores the idea that identity is never fixed or straightforward. Instead, it is built over time through memory, nostalgia, culture, personal experience and curiosity, with each layer contributing to a broader story.

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Themes of technology, popular culture and cultural memory frequently emerge throughout the work, reflecting both a fascination with the digital age and the imagery that surrounds us. Familiar cartoon references, stylised illustrations and graphic elements are woven throughout the paintings, creating works that feel both personal and universally recognisable.

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In recent years, Struan's practice has continued to evolve through an ongoing exploration of new series, techniques and subject matter. Working instinctively, he often immerses himself in a particular body of work before moving on to the next, ensuring each series captures a distinct moment in his creative journey.

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Alongside his individual practice, Struan has also developed a collaborative body of work with his wife, artist Emma McAdam-Marmont. Together they create contemporary works that merge their individual artistic languages, bridging figurative painting, abstraction, graffiti influences and pop-inspired imagery.

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Struan's work is held in private and corporate collections throughout Australia and internationally, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, New Zealand and South Africa.

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Through bold colour, layered imagery and an ever-evolving visual language, Struan Hopwood continues to create works that invite viewers to look a little longer, discovering new details and connections with every viewing.