Riivo Kruuk’s Il Calcio È Guerra

Exhibit dates: June 3rd – July 16th, 2022

Opening reception:

Friday, June 3rd 5-8PM

Artist Talk TBA

Location: Gallery 1056

Riivo’s Statement:
After realizing that most of my work is and always has revolved around some expression of duality, I really began to focus on that. The concept, the medium, level of rendering, and motifs are all very representing of duality. Soccer is the sport that unites the world but war is what divides us. Yet, football (soccer) can have moments reminiscent of ancient battles. Men fighting to be victorious, willing to draw blood from the other to gain the advantage.

Being of half American, half Estonian descent, I never truly felt 100% one or the other. The mediums in the painting are a duality; oils being a very traditional, historic, and ‘soft’ medium. While spray paint being a very gritty, rebellious, and contemporary medium. The figures are very masculine and violent while the flowers are very soft and ‘feminine’. Some parts of the painting are very rendered and carefully painted while other parts seem unfinished or loosely painted.

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