Rupen

Bio:

Other than several courses at OCAD and a printmaking summer session at Central Technical School, I am a self-taught visual artist. My practice is informed by my experience working with the same tools and materials used in the trades I have mastered: carpentry and cabinetmaking. These skills allow me to create precise wall-hung sculptures, often painted, that are both visually and conceptually intentional.

I have participated in more than sixty group exhibitions and over a dozen solo exhibitions in Toronto, as well as exhibitions in Seoul, Korea, and New York City. My work has been reviewed in publications including The Globe and Mail, National Post, NOW Magazine, dArt International, and others. I have also curated exhibitions of local artists at several venues, including Off The Map Gallery and Natural Light Window, receiving recognition from numerous local media outlets.

Art Philosophy:

My art is enriched by visual interests including Construction Geometry, Sequential and Chance Formations, and Architectural Tendencies. These interests are expressed through a visual language of Post Minimalism, Monochromatic Forms, and Conceptual Art practices; however, these terms describe only the tools and style of the work, not its true purpose.

My intention is to create art with a meditative and reflective quality that encourages viewers to slow down, look more deeply, and develop a more mindful engagement with their everyday visual environment. This practice of deeper perception is the central idea that is most meaningful to me.

Below are some examples of my work. Click on the image to see the full image:

Favourite artists:

For me Jean Arp holds historic interest.

What art I enjoy depends on my mood, today I would enjoy to see the work of Robert Mangold, Gordon Matta-Clark and Dorothea Rockburne.

The purpose of art:

The purpose of contemporary art is to be undefinable, to open doors to new possibilities and concepts. To be able to comment on anything one can think of.

I am inspired by:

Almost all creative people, also anyone who has less but does more than me. Anyone who is willing to create….. on their own terms.

My first command if I had absolute power:

I would command that no single person should ever have absolute power.