“La Causa” (2020), Saint-Merri Church, Paris, France. All images © Aryz
In vibrant blocks of color, Catalan artist Aryz creates multistory murals and diorama-like artworks that radiate within their surroundings. Known for his saturated chromatic installations (previously) that fill the sides of apartment blocks or stand as panels in grand interiors, the artist emphasizes an outsized sketchy style as if the pigment were applied with giant crayons or pastels.
Aryz often reveals a grid-like structure redolent of paintings’ underdrawings, but rather than cover the structure, he creates distinct compartments containing a variety of textural and compositional elements. While much of his work emphasizes a flat two-dimensional plane, murals like “El Entreacto” expand the grid and incorporate three-dimensional depth with shadows and cartoonish details that glitch or cut off.
Often featuring figures in early 20th-century garments, Aryz’s dramatic scenes involve lions and circus performers, airplanes, or injured figures, evoking associations with early cinema and the First and Second World Wars. The murals’ locations provide incredible backdrops for the artist’s theatrical interior scenes, nodding to the rich history of crumbling old chapels or cavernous sites like Saint-Merri Church in Paris that have been damaged and reconstructed over many centuries.
Find more on his website, and see videos of his process on Instagram. (via Booooooom)
“El Entreacto” (2022), Mannheim, Germany
“Cocorico” (2022), Clermont-Ferrand, France
“La Muerte del Color” (2020), 19th-century abandoned chapel, Spain
“Violeta” (2020), Versailles, France
“El Auxilio” (2020), Conservatorium aan Zee, Oostende, Belgium
“La Ruina” (2021), Església de Sant Pere, Corbera d’Ebre, Spain
Installation view of “La Ruina” (2021)
“El Festejo” (2022), Ex Chiesa San Mattia, Bologna, Italy
“Descanso” (2021), Alcoy, Spain
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. You’ll connect with a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, read articles and newsletters ad-free, sustain our interview series, get discounts and early access to our limited-edition print releases, and much more. Join now!
Source: Art - thisiscolossal.com
