Rob Hilken

Rob is an artist based at Vault Artist Studios in Belfast. His work is disruptive. He works across disciplines, whether it takes the form of a large-scale mural that interrupts people’s journeys, unexpected participatory performances or a more meticulous studio piece, he aims to disrupt the way we experience the world around us.

His work is routed in the familiar and the every day: things that have become embedded and accepted in our lives so much that we barely register them. These things are his starting point: patterns, geometry, mass-produced objects, popular culture, social customs, and even religious iconography. He will often then disrupt these familiar ideas or visuals with a chaotic intervention, or present them in unexpected ways.

His 2022 solo exhibition used painting, sculpture, video and photography to explore areas where gambling and religion intertwine. As with much of his work, he used humour as an entry point for audiences to engage with the potentially challenging subject matter.

He has become embedded in the Irish street art scene where, alongside many of his fellow Vaulters, he regularly contributes to the annual ‘Hit the North’ street art festival in Belfast. He has produced murals across Ireland including large works in Banbridge, Coleraine and Killeshandra, where he has responded to the culture and heritage of the local area whilst keeping his distinctive use of patterns and repetition at the fore.

In a well-known work from 2012, Rob served up over 100 Ulster fry-ups in Ormeau Park as part of the Household Festival of Contemporary Art. He assembled a small team of chefs to cook and give away for free to an impromptu gathering of people. The feast became a space for conversation and a humourous way to explore national identity, a contentious subject matter in Belfast.

Rob was a founding member of Vault Artist Studios and served as a trustee on the board for the first six years of the life of the collective. He studied fine art at Belfast Met (2012) and was previously a co-director of Catalyst Arts (2012-14).