It turns out that Ed Sheeran is more than just a best-selling and award-winning musician. He’s also something of a painter. At HENI in London, Sheeran is currently exhibiting his Cosmic Carpark Paintings, a series of splattered canvases that he produced as a way to maintain his creativity whenever he would step away from music.
According to a recent video shared by Sheeran, he began painting in 2019 while “in between shows,” more “for fun and to give to friends.” His paintings, as the musician himself admits, seek to emulate the spontaneity and vibrancy of Jackson Pollock’s work, with Sheeran dripping, throwing, and splashing “colorful house paint” across monumental canvases. The Cosmic Carpark series only came later, in 2024, during Sheeran’s Mathematics Tour. When he had breaks in his performance schedule, he would arrive at a disused car park in London’s Soho neighborhood and return to the comfort of paint, finding inspiration in celestial forms.
“I am by no means ‘an artist,’ but I do love making art,” he explains. “It makes me feel great, and I love the end result.” In a separate statement, he added: “I’d run to the carpark each morning, paint, then run home, and I’d do that daily until I headed back out on tour again.”
It was only a matter of time before Sheeran was approached about his paintings, being encouraged to showcase them by his close friends, Joe Hage and the renowned contemporary artist Damien Hirst. Now, only a year after he created Cosmic Carpark Paintings, HENI stands as the first to have ever exhibited Sheeran’s visual art for the public, allowing visitors to purchase his original paintings and accompanying limited-edition prints. Notably, Sheeran’s 50% share of the proceeds and all funds from the $400 prints will be donated to his eponymous foundation, whose mission is to provide inclusive music education for children throughout the United Kingdom. The foundation also prioritizes grassroots music projects, schools, and equipment, emphasizing its commitment to accessibility.
“When I was growing up, both of my parents worked in art, so I’ve naturally always been interested in it,” Sheeran continued. “I always enjoyed studying art at school.”
Sheeran’s paintings and prints can both be purchased online until 5:00 p.m. BST on Aug. 1, 2025. Ed Sheeran: Cosmic Carpark Paintings will also be on view at HENI through Aug. 1.
For the first time, Ed Sheeran is showcasing his own series of splatter paintings at HENI in London.
The series, titled Cosmic Carpark Paintings, was created whenever Sheeran had performance breaks during his Mathematics Tour in 2024.
Sheeran’s share of the proceeds from artwork sales will be donated to his eponymous foundation, whose mission is to provide inclusive music education for children in the UK.
Exhibition Information
Ed Sheeran
Cosmic Carpark Paintings
July 10–August 1, 2025
HENI
6-10 Lexington St, London W1F 0LB
All images via HENI.
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