Location: United Kingdom
Born 1958 in Paris from a British mother with a French background and a Belgian father with an Italian background Ruspoli debuted in a group show at the Museum: “Bastion St Andre” in Antibes, France. He went on to present his work in salons and galleries increasing international exposure.
He has been recipient of a number of important awards and medals such as Eugene Fromentin Award in France, Gold Medal from Beijing Olympic Fine Art in China, Silver Medal from Grand Prix of Rome in Italy.
In 1986 Ruspoli was chosen to submit some works for the highly prestigious Automn Salon in Paris, France from which he was contacted by Galerie Atlante for a two years contract. During this time Ruspoli was approached by the British Phoenix gallery where he had several exhibitions and brought him to England.
Inspired by new surroundings Ruspoli moved towards a new way of working stimulated by the influences of artists such as Francis Bacon, Frank Auerbach, Henri Matisse, Edward Munch and Egon Schiele.
His work frequently places the human figures and nature in an abstract environment supported by a vivid use of colours where subtle gradation and dramatic contrast express nuance of emotion and sensuous physicality. The work also expresses the direct sensation of lived experience through organic shapes and forms woven from flowing lines and the gaze of the viewer. You are invited to participate in a creative encounter with theses elements constructing your own visual languages and meanings.
“Art is about sharing visual ideas. My canvas may not have a front or a back cover but I try with each study, each painting to represent a work to be read rather than stared at. If through my work as an artist I am able to stimulate thoughts and feelings then I have achieved my goal
My art explores the dynamic frontier between abstraction and figuration. This fertile area keeps alive the infinite possibilities of being human in an age intent upon closing them down.
Using a strikingly vibrant palette, each painting composes a symphony of colours where subtle gradation and dramatic contrast express nuance of emotion and sensuous physicality.
The work also expresses the direct sensation of lived experience through organic shapes and forms woven from flowing lines and the gaze of the viewer.
You are invited to participate in a creative encounter with these elements, constructing your own visual languages and meanings.
From this, questions arise about the interactions between humans and their many environments.
It is hoped there also follows an increased sense of wonder at your own capacity for re-interpretation and invention which will bring an uplifting feeling to you and the world in which you are living.
PEOPLE IN A GROUP SERIES
Inspired from Renaissance artists such as for composition Paolo Veronese and Sebastiano del Piombo by creating scenes representing group of people gathering in different places and as for colours Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano and Bellini by using orange, red, blue, green, naple yellow and pink as principal pigments, I am therefore representing my own version of contemporary societies and the relationship between individuals among these social groups.
INTERVIEW
I was born an artist I suppose. It is something you have inside you and this feeling will push you to express yourself with a medium of your choice.
For me it was paint, oil paint actually as I love the texture and the way oil paint can be mixed to create wonderful effects and do not dry instantly so you can work at it on and on until you are satisfied.
My fist passion was with the Surrealist movement as Dali, Magritte, and many others. It was the fact to be able to create an imaginary world that fascinated me at the time.
Then I discover the power of colours , as they can transform moods, express feelings as peace and anger, emotion as love and hate and so forth which slowly moved me towards abstraction with the full use of shapes and volumes in order to express these human feelings .
Now I am into figuration supported still by strong colours with a twist of abstraction in the composition. I am pushing these even further by creating an effect of stain glass windows as in churches where these stain glass windows inspire the worshippers for mediation, spirituality, peace, reflection and growth. Therefore I am trying in my recent works to have these same factors mentioned above in order for the viewers to feel that the painting talks to them, moves them and they feel happy and regenerated.
An artist for me is a person with a gift because he or she can see and feels things differently from other people. It could be a curse too because sometimes an artist will suffer more than anybody else due to his or hers sensibility and would feel therefore very isolated. A frustrated artist can be a very dangerous person too as Hitler to mention a few.
Art is a reflection of civilization and evolution. Each society from the past is basically recognized through the art they have left behind. Visual art for me as an artist is the most important thing with music and writing that the humans have done. Even religions would be supported by the art to complement their beliefs. We would not be evolved to be humans without the art.
I was working in different jobs for a long time not liking it and my dream was always to be a full time artist. One day I did it and never regretted it ever since. You would find always ways to adept to a new life you would leave behind if you feel it in your heart, inside you. It is my passion and it came to be my full time employment. Therefore creating artworks, dealing with the art market and the art dealers, the clients and the up and down of a professional life is exiting and not a burden.
My motivation and my inspiration is my environment and nature. I am fascinated by the way people inter-react with each other. Sometimes in a nice way and sometimes in an horrible way. I want to pass on a message in my work, which could be read and felt by the person looking at it. I want to lift their soul and their feeling and bring them happiness if I can. But I am still very intrigued by the way contemporary societies evolve. I am through my eyes and my brain trying to reflect on social environments, familial cells and social classes. This is especially expressed in one of my Series : People in Group . In this Series I express human feelings by the bodily expressions of it. The characters do not have faces but all the sensibility for each individual is created and expressed by the position of the human shape connected with others.
I would describe my style as Expressionistic and I suppose I can be attached to this art movement. Through my work I express by the use of colour , human shape and composition, feelings and moods. I express therefore I am an Expressionist.
My major theme is the expression of societies and it’s environment supported by a study of spirituality among these social groups.
My style of course has evolved with time. I can see and feel I am getting more mature in my creation and in my creative journey. I could not live my life without painting. It is like an addiction and as every addict I cannot stop myself doing it.
AWARDS
2008 Gold Medal, Beijing Olympic Fine Art, China
1998 Knight of the Art, Academy Greco-Marino, Italy
1995 Master Degree, Central St Martin School of Art, England
1994 Academician, Academy Greco-Marino, Italy
1991 Bronze Medal, Mairie 17em Paris, France
1988 Gold Medal, Institute French Culture, France
1987, Eugene Fromentin Award, Federation Latin, France
1986 Silver Medal, Institute French Culture, France
1986 Golden Painting of the Year, Institute of French Culture, France
1985 Bronze Medal, Biennial Villeneuve Loubet, France
1985 Silver Medal, Grand Prix of Rome, Italy
MUSEUMS and PUBLICATIONS
Art in Vogue, Book, England
Gauguin Museum, Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia
Who’s Who in Art, Book, England
The Oxford Blue Book, England
The Cambridge Blue Book, England
International Museum Dell’Etichetta of Cupramontana, Italy
Great Minds of the 21st Century, Book, USA
Dictionary of International Biographies, Book, England
Medial1 Art Biennial 2005, Book, England
Famous 100 Contemporary Artists, Book, England
Artist Contact, Book, England
Museum Contemporary Art of Chianciano, Italy
Art Unlimited, Book, England
Segnalati ,Contemporary Art Guide, book, Italy
SET and COSTUMES DESIGN
1999 Mind the Gap, Canal Café Theatre
1997 The May, Barons Court Theatre
1995 Snuff, London Film Festival
1995 Commercial, CTVC Studios
1995 Triangle, Cochrane Theatre
1994 Loves Labours Lost, Cochrane Theatre
1994 Shakespeare’s Universe, Barbican
“THE TEMPTATION”
“DEPARTURE ”
“SCALE OF LOVE”
“SLEEPING MOTHER ”
“AT THE END OF THE DAY”
“THE END OF TIME”
“REDEMPTION ”
“BATHERS ”
