Michael Rozen + Scott Sueme

Surroundings

April – May 2015

Location

Vancouver

Michael Rozen is a Vancouver-born artist, coming from a graffiti background he now works predominately in various paint mediums on canvas and board. His work reflects experimentation in several genres including, abstract, expressionism, impressionism, among others.

Scott Sueme is a Canadian artist raised in Vancouver, BC. Since attending Emily Carr in 2006, Sueme has been working as a graphic artist and painter.

How can we push the boundaries of our practice in this new space?

When the hcma studio moved into its current location in the heart of Vancouver, we sought a memorable first installation for our new rotating lobby gallery.

By inviting the artists to create their piece directly onto our lobby walls with the knowledge that it would one day be painted over, we invited the creative process to take place directly inside our studio walls.

Artist Statement

Working with ‘Connections’ as a key concept, the design features a colourful set of interlocking and connecting shapes. The geometry is designed to lead the eye from one object to the next, illustrating their connection to each other and as a whole. With that as a focus, the shapes attribute this quality without a linear pattern, or repetition of a specific shape – they are meant to feel organic with a hand painted quality.

‘Connections’ walks the line between graffiti and modern art, featuring two areas of interest with texture cropped within large shapes. One represents a street and city space using weathering and graffiti painting techniques, the other represents a green space and features full foliage and leaves captured from trees around the Vancouver area. This piece pays a tribute to the landscape of Vancouver and our connection with nature as city dwellers.

AIR Discoveries

Following the success of ‘Surroundings’, Rozen and Sueme were invited by hcma client Royal Bay Secondary School to contribute another painting inspired by the architecture. The mural, titled Foundation, is a terrific example of enhancing a built environment through the combination of art and design and was completed before the school opened in September 2015.

Michael Rozen mural, Connections, viewed from the second floor. Artist rendering of the large scale installation of the Michael Rozen mural Connections. Close-up photo of colourful vertical stripes in the Michael Rozen mural, Connections.

Previous artists in residence