Artist Paco Raphael has described the inspiration behind his latest collection of sculptures as a very personal search for the true essence of life and love in a culture of speed, drive, wealth, well-being and prosperity set against a new reality. Imagining the world as a utopian society, a metropolis dedicated to community-oriented values, art, self-expression and self-reliance, where the artist playfully navigates between reality and fantasy.
Paco Raphael (The Hague, 1975) graduated from The Hague University with a degree in Applied Sciences in Communication & Multimedia Design. As a creative in advertising, he never stopped exploring ways to improve his work and its impact on the world around him. Working for big brand names like Philips, Renault, G-Star, Bol.com and MTV Networks, he evolved into a senior graphic designer. Still ambitious to explore more and better, he restated himself as artist, combining conventional art with digital media.
Since devoting himself to his personal fine art practice, Paco Raphael has accomplished worldwide exposure with Art Basel in Miami and solo shows in New York as a highlight. His work has received praise by art collectors and has been collected by a number of international leading galleries. Pushing his limits and the limit that separates art from design, he now puts his ambition and abilities to work as an industrial designer, uniting his artwork with innovative materials and products. Paco Raphael shows a new approach to all that surrounds us in life, from a painting to furniture or fashion. And we doubt he’ll stop here.
ARTIST STATEMENT "I take pictures of urban scenes all over the world. These contemporary cityscapes are mixed with urban industrial life in the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s, by adding images of themes like old cinema, music, typography, erotica and architecture taken from posters. By uniting the then and now, I creates a contemporary picture caught on canvas. The digitally mixed print is finished by hand with paint, pen and stencils. The result is a versatile, vibrant, mixed media painting. I love my style signature, but I treasure freedom in form. Why should art not be functional? In creating products for everyday life, I don’t stop at the print, but redesign the whole object from the core. I question the form of known objects and take them to a new level. A level where a table has legs that are an art piece in themselves, and even the construction is redesigned to fit our style and quality. By eliminating the line between art and design, I now bring art into our everyday lives. I will express my passion in many unexpected forms, but always in high quality."
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