Ryan Roth

“I assume that most people are interested in the hopes, fears, dreams and tragedies of other people.” – Ben Shahn

I am intrigued by the opposition of roles in society, especially those of the ruthless businessman and the directionless slacker. I use the business suit and lack of clothes to represent the individuals who play these roles.

My physical and psychological social experiences have been central to my artistic practice for the last five years. From the outset I was concerned with a paradoxical aesthetic that juxtaposes beauty and revulsion with the relentless pursuit of business success. I am interested in creating fusions and interaction between the 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional by having my paintings protrude from the walls. The cutout form becomes a vehicle to liberate my figures and invite the viewer to engage more actively with the work. Within this context I stress the form and shape of my subjects to emphasize their relationship to career aspirations, that of the suited businessman or the shirtless underwear-sporting slacker.

Bio

For the past few years, Ryan Roth’s artwork has evolved from a focus on the human figure and its reaction/

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interaction, to a focus on business careerism. Roth’s artworks are centered on male anxieties about career goals. His textural, high relief, cut-out paintings use the wall and other environments as the picture plane. Roth got his MFA at the University of Georgia and is now teaching at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Roth has participated in various exhibitions in Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Cortona, Italy.