Undulating Coasters and Slide Complexes Loom in Alex Hutton's Paintings

The artist's meticulous oil paintings focus on the formal qualities of rollercoasters and waterslides.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Alex Hutton's oil paintings depict the intricate engineering and striking scale of rollercoasters and waterslides, despite the artist's own fear of heights and free-fall. Devoid of people, the paintings emphasize volume, line, and three-dimensional grids, often set against blank or brushy backgrounds to create a disorienting sense of scale. Hutton is fascinated by the "absurdity and audacity" of these structures, which he sees as extensions of his early interest in world-building video games.

Why it matters

Hutton's paintings offer a unique perspective on familiar amusement park structures, stripping away the youthful energy and nostalgia to reveal the pure engineering and formal qualities. His work encourages viewers to reconsider these ubiquitous forms in a new light, highlighting the immense effort and resources that go into creating short-lived thrills.

The details

Many of Hutton's coasters and slides are based on real-world constructions, such as the now-demolished Super Whooper waterslide in Kobe, Japan, and the world's largest waterslide structure at Meryal in Qatar. While the paintings represent recognizable places, Hutton is more interested in capturing formal qualities like rhythm, structure, and color combinations. He seeks to depict the "unlikely" and "reconsidered" aspects of these structures.

  • Hutton's two untitled works are bound for an exhibition at Main Projects in Richmond, Virginia, opening on April 30, 2026.
  • He is currently working toward a solo exhibition at SHRINE in New York, slated for 2027.

The players

Alex Hutton

An artist known for his meticulous oil paintings that focus on the formal qualities of rollercoasters and waterslides, often based on real-world structures.

SHRINE

A gallery in New York that will be hosting a solo exhibition of Hutton's work in 2027.

Main Projects

A gallery in Richmond, Virginia, that will be hosting an exhibition of Hutton's work, including two untitled paintings, starting on April 30, 2026.

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What they’re saying

“There is an absurdity to many theme park rides like rollercoasters and waterslides that I find compelling. They present a mixture of excitement and fear. They show graceful yet imposing movement through space with curves, rhythm, and color at a striking scale. So much material, time, engineering, and maintenance goes into a short ride designed to fling people through space and create a sense of thrill and danger in a controlled environment.”

— Alex Hutton, Artist (Colossal)

What’s next

Hutton's two untitled paintings will be on display at the Main Projects gallery in Richmond, Virginia, starting on April 30, 2026. He is also currently working towards a solo exhibition at SHRINE in New York, scheduled for 2027.

The takeaway

Hutton's paintings offer a unique perspective on the engineering and formal qualities of rollercoasters and waterslides, encouraging viewers to reconsider these ubiquitous structures in a new light. By stripping away the youthful energy and nostalgia, his work highlights the immense effort and resources that go into creating short-lived thrills, challenging the viewer to appreciate the "absurdity and audacity" of these constructions.