Artist Bio 

Born in Cape Town in 1966, Ivan’s early interest in art and fashion design growing up in the far northern part of the country led him to a long career in fashion and textile design. In 1985 he enrolled in Pretoria University of Technology’s Art School to study Art and Design, focusing on Textile design, silkscreen printing and fashion illustration. Then, after two years of compulsory military service he started his career in the fashion and textile industry as a knitwear designer in Johannesburg.

After relocating back to Cape Town in 1993 he continued his career as designer and merchandiser working for various manufacturers and his work was sold off the rails of the biggest retailers in the country. From 2013 he ran his own design studio until the recent rise of "fast fashion", its unsustainability and negative consequences for the industry, forced him to focus his creativity on more enduring arts. 

In 2020 after a year of experimenting with mixed media work hugely inspired by street and pop art, he transitioned to practicing as a full-time self-taught digital artist. Ivan creates high resolution, highly detailed portraits in a pop art style which he presents as limited edition prints over various sizes. While his flagship pieces are currently his oversized statement reverse printed on Perspex editions, Ivan continues to push boundaries experimenting with printing on unusual new surfaces.

Artist Statement

I refer to myself as a traditional artist, but since 2020 my art supplies have become digital. My graphic pop art pieces are hand drawn digitally using an Apple pencil working on a iPad in Procreate. I create high resolution, highly detailed statement pieces that I present as limited-edition prints. These prints are released over various sizes and on various surfaces, but from the outset I work with the intention to be able to print high-resolution oversized artworks. I like how reverse printing on Perspex simulates the iPad surface I draw on.

By juxtaposing unrelated themes, I aim to provoke meaningful conversation around consumerism, art, fashion, religion, and politics by borrowing from a variety of contradictory popular culture imagery that relates to a specific theme. I use iconography ironically, creating new context by effortlessly absorbing existing ideas and restringing them into new and autonomous artworks.

My representational work embodies a figurative style with pop art influences. Reflecting on the timeless elements of fashion, I create elegant work with an edge that incorporates both, contemporary and classic ideas of style, glamour, femininity and pop culture. Remaining loyal to my figurative subject, female portraiture by using both classic icons and imaginative, chic and playful faces. I often frame these faces with unrelated eyewear to add personality to the subject. 

Surrounding the portrait is usually a strong reference to my textile design background. Here I arrange and densely fill the canvas with a collection of objects and patterns that I like and relate to the context of the series. This also breaks up solid colours and adds visual context and interest to the background and balances colour, structure, and the composition of the work, intentionally drawing the viewer in, for them to lose themselves as they explore the camp explosion of graphic art, in the most endearing way.

Although each piece exists independently, I prefer setting out working in a cohesive series of three. This not only keeps me focused on three pieces at the same time, but it is also a way for a prospective buyer to instantly visualize the entire series together, or as two, or a single-piece shining on its own.

Exhibitions

July 2019 Vuleka finalist art.b Gallery

April 2021 Urban Art Group Exhibition Rust en Vrede Gallery

May 2021 Naked faces Group Exhibition Alliance Francaise du Cap

Nov 2021 ARTinspired Group Exhibition Welgemeent Manor

Nov 2021 Unframed Group Exhibition Art is Art Gallery

Oct 2023 New and Now Group Exhibition Ink Box Art Gallery

April 2024  April Group Exhibition Young Blood Africa