Originally from Winnipeg, Riki now considers Edmonton home. Primarily a figurative painter, she also works in printmaking and drawing. Her work explores media and pop culture, the body in motion, and social interaction. Her work is often described as theatrical with visual connections to Classical and Mannerist narrative paintings.
Excerpt from Artist Statement:
“A few years ago, I began drawing from TV stills, as a way to reignite my studio practice. It began at a point in which I was feeling overwhelmed with the prospect of beginning a new body of work. I found comfort in watching television, as it provides relief and distraction through a controlled form of overstimulation.
After a while, I began to focus exclusively on Antiques Roadshow, as its content and context proved to be a rich area for exploration. The show is always presented the same way – people bring their precious objects to a team of experts who then offer insight and information. Often, there is a deferential relationship between the owner and the expert. But, there is also animosity, defiance, and other strong emotions that occur between the two. Sometimes, the focus is on the objects’ monetary value; and, other times, the main concern is the historical significance, often including all kinds of stories (biographical, geographical, technical, and so on). My interest is in the human stories that are suggested through the structure of the show, and through the frame of my TV screen. The original context changes as the image moves from the television world into the world of painting.”
– Riki Kuropatwa
