White Space Art Asia is pleased to announce that Ronald Apriyan will be at Art Central Hong Kong ’22 this year. With eight brand new works, Apriyan will be showcasing a collection that touches base on the pandemic, contemporary culture, and the universal human experience.
This year, Apriyan introduces new additions to his oeuvre- sculptures. The iconic cartoon characters that feature heavily throughout his works now exist in vibrant, three-dimensional form. With four limited edition works on display, this Art Central Hong Kong collection marks a momentous occasion in Apriyan’s career.
Medical, 150x150cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2022
Chef, 150×150 cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2022
Apriyan has developed a distinctive body of work that celebrates the hallmarks of pop culture, curiosity and imagination. For more than a decade, his work has established an inimitable visual language steeped in nostalgia and whimsy. His idiosyncratic characters reside within a surreal, richly detailed world of colour and allusions that evoke both intrigue and wonderment.
This year, Apriyan’s new series is one that responds directly to the currents of our times. In this special presentation of works for Art Central, Apriyan explores new frontiers in both style and subject matter, with a central focus on the global pandemic. In what has been a life-changing and disruptive experience for all, Apriyan has sought to find joy in a phenomena that has both divided and brought us closer together. In the same way that contemporary culture canonises celebrities, musicians, and movie stars, Apriyan seeks to sanctify the frontliners who have in his mind, become our modern day saints.
Looking over Apriyan’s career, his role as an artist, and his contributions to the cultural fabric of the region, this latest series is a momentous development in his oeuvre where he explores the universal human experience in greater and significant detail. A charming and exuberant commentary on culture and society, Apriyan’s vivid universe of stories and imagery is one that would find deep resonance in the world today.
I Miss You, 180 x 250 cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2022
Set in London’s iconic red phone booths, I Miss You is a sentimental story of the relationships that are made and nurtured through telephone conversations. Wrapped in colourful wires, the connection between the booths remain as equally dynamic and vibrant despite the distance apart. In a time where communication modes frequently evolve and change, I Miss You is a nod to one of the oldest and enduring forms of communication, with resonance in both the past and the present.
I Love My Neighbours, 180×250 cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2022
Created during the pandemic, I Love My Neighbours is a work that embodies the solidarity of the human spirit in the face of troubled times. Apriyan draws reference to the isolation period of the epidemic, where neighbours used to play music on their balcony as a way to foster unity and uplift spirits. Two boom-boxes are sat side by side, with each blasting music as a way of communication and support for their neighbour. With a background embellished with striking textures and colours, the joyful spirit from music is amplified by the polychromatic universe that Apriyan has created. In Boombox, Apriyan creates a heart-warming, vibrant landscape of a community united.
David Bowie, 180 x 180 cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2022
In a striking tribute to legendary singer-songwriter David Bowie, Apriyan captures the glitz and glamour of the rockstar with bold iconography. Featuring Bowie’s iconic lightning make-up and slicked back red hair, Apriyan references Bowie from one of the most defining moments in pop culture- Bowie’s award-winning Aladdin Sane album cover. What is on full display is the charisma, magnetism and allure of Bowie brought to full force through Apriyan’s artistry and innate sense of detail, capturing the tour de force that is Bowie on canvas.
Happy Travelling, W40 x L22 X H15 cm, Briefcase Size: W37 x L47 x H10 cm,
Coloured Aluminium Sculpture with Acrylic on Leather Briefcase, 2022
Game Boy, W32 x H39 cm, Base Diameter: 32cm
Coloured Aluminium Sculpture, 2022
Ice Cream Boy, W32 x H44cm, Base Diameter: 32cm
Coloured Aluminium Sculpture, 2022
Good Dream, W39 x L22 X H15 cm, Briefcase Size: W35 x L47 x H10 cm,
Coloured Aluminium Sculpture with Acrylic on Leather Briefcase, 2022
Message in a Bottle, 200×150 cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2022
Message in a Bottle is Apriyan at his most peculiar, where characters, symbols and shapes engage in a chaotic disarray. An arresting cacophony of vivid patterns and a lively crew of characters, Apriyan captures the discordance of the pandemic that threw the world into an unprecedented future. Nestled at the heart of the piece is a golden bottle, with a figure floating blissfully on their rubber duck inside. In the security of the bottle, the figure maintains a safe distance from the overwhelming tumult outside. In the face of an uncertain future, Apriyan sheds light on the different ways that people use to engage and cope with the pandemic with experiences that hit close to home.
Maximus, 150×200 cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2022
Based on the hit movie ‘Gladiator’, Apriyan’s homage is one awash with machismo and grit. The lone, solitary figure of Maximus is seen towering over the historic Colosseum, capturing the gruelling feat of a man who has bested the challenges that life has thrown at him. Styled in Apriyan’s trademark neon hues and iconic characters, Apriyan’s Gladiator is a colourful testimony to the triumphs of hard work and courage in the face of adversity.
Scientist, 150×150 cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2022
Scientist is a celebration of one of society’s pillars and cornerstones, science, and the people involved in it. A myriad of colourful equations and formulas dance across the canvas alongside miniature scientists, capturing the sheer volume and diversity of knowledge that science and scientists have achieved and will continue to achieve. In Scientist, Apriyan honours the people who pave the untrodden path for future and for humanity.
For more information on Ronald Apriyan, you can go here.
