Brendan Murphy's chalkboard graphics and shiny spacemen offer a Rush of Blood to the Head

Playing with the precise nature of equations – a recurring theme in the American artist's work – Rush of Blood to the Head translates the abstruse nature of emotion into imaginative formulas.

On show at Maddox Gallery in Mayfair from 27 June, his artworks mimic the randomness and nonsensical decisions the heart seems to make, and are charged with colour and immediacy.

In the Boonji Spaceman series, for instance, Murphy examines the magic of exploration both in a personal and spatial sense. The spaceman, according to Murphy, is the "perfect embodiment of the human desire to look ahead and venture beyond boundaries; encouraging viewers to embrace the unknown and be present in the moment", which, in his eyes, is the purest form of existence.

Having mentored under some of New York’s most iconic painters – Eric Fischl, David Salle and Ross Bleckner – Brendan Murphy is a world-renowned artist who continues to push the walls of creativity beyond the confines of the canvas. Consistently experimenting with sculpture, concept pieces, and a wide range of different materials and tools, Brendan’s talent lies in his ability in balancing these various elements of exploration against the backdrop of his greatest inspirations; formulas, equations, relationships and the spectrum of human emotion.

Featuring both sculptures and paintings, Rush of Blood to the Head is Murphy's debut UK solo exhibition and promises to be an emotional expedition by one of the most exciting contemporary artists working today.