Email:
info@renethatpainterguy.com
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rene_thatpainterguy
Rene Gonzalez is a London based artist born in Canada, who started painting in the graffiti art scene in Costa Rica, before moving to the UK to undertake a BA in Fine Art Painting at City & Guilds of London Art School. He paints scenes with dream-like landscapes featuring animal characters in forests with luscious vegetation, evoking the magical wonder of the natural world. Foxes, deer, and stars are some of the common motifs in his visual narratives, that have a storytelling aspect to them inspired by his life as a constant migrant, as well as different myth, folklore and a variety of other literature. “The woods are mysterious to me and give a magical sense of wonder that makes me think of the recesses of the human mind, how we deal with the dark and the light. At a personal level, for me my paintings are about facing the world and the self, adversity and beauty, about inner torment and hope”. There does appear to be a storytelling aspect to Rene’s work, and the idea of ‘Myth’ plays a strong role for the artists when it comes to inspiration, research and iconography. Often inspired by Arthurian myth, the tarot, native American symbolism and a variety of literature and folklore from around the world, various elements in his compositions can give an archetypal feel to the works.
Solo exhibitions include shows at The Great Western Studios curated by Milo Astaire (London), Galerie Belem (Paris) and the Luxembourg Art Fair, and he has exhibited in group shows in galleries across the UK, Europe, and America, with the Messums Gallery, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Visions West Contemporary and many more.
He was awarded first place in the Clyde & Co Blank Canvas Art Prize 2015, creating a commissioned twenty-meter painting for it, he produced a mural displayed at the Seven Dials legendary Covent Garden junction in 2020, has collaborated with entities such as Clarks, Vans and the NBA to create unique artworks for charity and his work has been featured in media such as i-D Vice, DATEAGLE Art, Art Maze Mag Magazine and Fad Magazine.
Landscape Painting upcoming group show at Messums Wiltshire. Jan 2025
Today for you, Tomorrow for me upcoming dual exhibit with Tuesday Riddell by Soho Revue at The London Art Fair curated by Becca Pelly-fry. Jan 2025
Wind in the woods solo show at The Bomb Factory Foundation gallery space in Holborn. Dec 2024 - Jan 2025
Emerging Landscape Painting group show at Messums London. Oct 2024
This must be Paradise group show at Fitzrovia Gallery. Sept 2024
Reverence group online exhibition on Purslane platform. July 2024
Soho Review Gallery exhibition. July 2024.
Down a rabbit hole group exhibition at Visions West Contemporary Gallery. USA 2023
Two by Two group show by Brushes with Greatness at Morell House London. UK 2023
Arcadia group show by Offshoot Arts at Home House London. UK 2022
Devils in the detail group exhibition at Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery. UK 2020
Messums “Paint” group exhibition. UK 2020
Galerie Belem: Solo exhibits in Paris gallery and at Luxembourg Art Fair. Paris Luxembourg 2019
Art Awards group exhibition at the Oxo Tower Wharf Gallery. Uk 2017
Asymmetrical Intersections: exhibition curated by ELX Art, at the Art Helix Gallery in New York. USA 2016
Parade Presents Rene Gonzalez: Solo exhibition at the Great Western Studios, organized and curated by Milo Astaire. UK 2015
Rebooted group exhibit by Clarks at Frieze New York and V&A auction event in London. 2015