Ravenburg, Phillip
|
|
|
|
Philip Ravenburg was born in 1973, in the city of Odessa, Ukraine. After studying painting and sculpture privately, in 1982 Ravenburg began to study painting and drawing at the specialized art school for children in Odessa, the Art Institute of Grekov. In 1989, Ravenburg arrived in New York and by 1992 was admitted to Cooper Union, where he studied art history. In 1997, he received his Bachelor’s degree from the Parsons School of Design with a major in painting and a minor in art history. Ravenburg continued to study for his master’s degree at Parson’s but in 1998 decided to leave and pursue his work and studies independently.
Ravenburg’s works are influenced by the stylistic diversions of American and European art. While in Parsons, Ravenburg studied under the great American artists, Robert Ryman, Harvey Quaytman and Merrill Wagner, whose conceptual work made an impression on the young artist and influenced his aesthetic. Though Ravenburg’s work remains figurative, it combines many elements of abstraction and conceptualism. He often refers to the diverse ideas taken from Pop culture, literature, fairy tales and history. Images are taken from a variety of sources, such as the artist’s imagination, snapshots, magazines and newspapers clips. Ravenburg employs different visual affects to convey these diverse ideas and concepts. Most of his stories Ravenburg chooses not to reveal in an obvious way, and therefore leaves his works untitled. Ravenburg allows the viewer to have the freedom to decide of what the story might be. The artist is more interested in the act of painting and the process of imagination, rather than the illustration of ideas having prefixed final result. He is always leaving the door open for new interpretation of his work. Whether the subject matter is about current culture or the past, present or the future, fairytale or a personal story, it is all equally interesting to Ravenburg. No story, no idea is boring or unpainted for the artist.
Ravenburg has extensively exhibited throughout Europe and United States in group shows and his works belong to many private collections all over the world. He resides and continues his work in New York.
Artist Statement
"In art, reality somehow always becomes fiction, so art is never about reality. Is it? How art and reality interact and contradict each other? I’m interested in this very aspect of loss and reduction. What is lost and what is found has no longer need for clarity. Reality comes down like a snake from a tree in tropical forest. I want to shake it off."
*No part of this text may be reprinted, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior permission from the gallery.
Ravenburg’s works are influenced by the stylistic diversions of American and European art. While in Parsons, Ravenburg studied under the great American artists, Robert Ryman, Harvey Quaytman and Merrill Wagner, whose conceptual work made an impression on the young artist and influenced his aesthetic. Though Ravenburg’s work remains figurative, it combines many elements of abstraction and conceptualism. He often refers to the diverse ideas taken from Pop culture, literature, fairy tales and history. Images are taken from a variety of sources, such as the artist’s imagination, snapshots, magazines and newspapers clips. Ravenburg employs different visual affects to convey these diverse ideas and concepts. Most of his stories Ravenburg chooses not to reveal in an obvious way, and therefore leaves his works untitled. Ravenburg allows the viewer to have the freedom to decide of what the story might be. The artist is more interested in the act of painting and the process of imagination, rather than the illustration of ideas having prefixed final result. He is always leaving the door open for new interpretation of his work. Whether the subject matter is about current culture or the past, present or the future, fairytale or a personal story, it is all equally interesting to Ravenburg. No story, no idea is boring or unpainted for the artist.
Ravenburg has extensively exhibited throughout Europe and United States in group shows and his works belong to many private collections all over the world. He resides and continues his work in New York.
Artist Statement
"In art, reality somehow always becomes fiction, so art is never about reality. Is it? How art and reality interact and contradict each other? I’m interested in this very aspect of loss and reduction. What is lost and what is found has no longer need for clarity. Reality comes down like a snake from a tree in tropical forest. I want to shake it off."
*No part of this text may be reprinted, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior permission from the gallery.
© Zoryafineart.com 2010, all rights reserved. Established in 2003.