DION CUPIDO: "After a hard day’s work you can come home, switch on your storyteller and enter a better space where everything is easier...What is this latter space doing to our headspace?”
Artist Statement
Dion Cupido does not like complicating simplicity; as he believes visual artists draw positive energy from the beauty in the world and in turn this appeals to the viewer. Although there may be nothing wrong with conceptualizing, if not controlled it puts too much intellect in a work which can then also take away from it. In such a sense that the artist is no longer sincere to the practice of the art but rather to its theory; at times the work is not visually communicating with the viewer. As a result one has to read the painting’s narrative in order to understand the work.
Dion does not approve of this and even goes on to say that those visual artists might as well write books, as they are not true to their own genre - which in his case is painting.
Dion discovered his ability to paint, by accident, when he helped a friend with a school project. He started painting professionally from 2001 and has recently fallen in love with painting portraits with industrial ink.
When he started out he was fascinated with abstract work that he saw in the books and he assumed it would be much easier. It took him a year to familiarize himself with the technique and to make a sale. From this he came to the conclusion that abstract painting is not all intellect based but also a form of expression of emotion which triggers certain thoughts and memories.
He has also worked with realism but discovered that although it appealed to the viewers, it had never sold; and it never felt sincere to his inner self to work with realism - it never fulfilled him. Until recently: when he discovered a new technique of industrial ink with which he produced his African-Pop Art Portraits.
Dion finds inspiration in everything but his work doesn’t depend on inspiration. He has rather disciplined himself to view his art as a profession. Yes, every job has its challenges; sometimes it is hard and sometimes it is not too hard. When he does find some inspiration, most often than not- it is in movies. He sees this as a way to escape reality and have a chance to be somebody else. He is fascinated by the transition of a movie into a painting and as in film where the lines blur between reality and fiction; one would find the same quality when viewing his paintings.
When he paints Dion takes a moving picture with its storyline and translates it onto the canvas. It then begins its own life and the painting communicates with him, such as where to apply what medium. He continues with this process until the painting is alive.
Dion’s has a studio space at Good Hope Art Studios (www.goodhopeart.org) in Cape Town South Africa.
Biography:
Born in 1973 in South Africa, Dion Cupido is largely self taught. In 1998 he started exhibiting at the Pea-Nut Gallery. It was only in 2003 that he decided to study at the Arts & Media Access Centre's (AMAC) professional development program, where he won the Truworths AMAC Academy of the Visual Arts award.
Over the past years, Dion has produced a consistent body of abstract work. Later his works consisted of urban escapes through the front window of his car and most recently he discovered African-Pop portraiture using industrial ink as painting medium.
For more of Dion's art see: http://dioncupido.wordpress.com/.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PAGE IS STILL IN PROGRESS
In the event that you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]
Dion Cupido does not like complicating simplicity; as he believes visual artists draw positive energy from the beauty in the world and in turn this appeals to the viewer. Although there may be nothing wrong with conceptualizing, if not controlled it puts too much intellect in a work which can then also take away from it. In such a sense that the artist is no longer sincere to the practice of the art but rather to its theory; at times the work is not visually communicating with the viewer. As a result one has to read the painting’s narrative in order to understand the work.
Dion does not approve of this and even goes on to say that those visual artists might as well write books, as they are not true to their own genre - which in his case is painting.
Dion discovered his ability to paint, by accident, when he helped a friend with a school project. He started painting professionally from 2001 and has recently fallen in love with painting portraits with industrial ink.
When he started out he was fascinated with abstract work that he saw in the books and he assumed it would be much easier. It took him a year to familiarize himself with the technique and to make a sale. From this he came to the conclusion that abstract painting is not all intellect based but also a form of expression of emotion which triggers certain thoughts and memories.
He has also worked with realism but discovered that although it appealed to the viewers, it had never sold; and it never felt sincere to his inner self to work with realism - it never fulfilled him. Until recently: when he discovered a new technique of industrial ink with which he produced his African-Pop Art Portraits.
Dion finds inspiration in everything but his work doesn’t depend on inspiration. He has rather disciplined himself to view his art as a profession. Yes, every job has its challenges; sometimes it is hard and sometimes it is not too hard. When he does find some inspiration, most often than not- it is in movies. He sees this as a way to escape reality and have a chance to be somebody else. He is fascinated by the transition of a movie into a painting and as in film where the lines blur between reality and fiction; one would find the same quality when viewing his paintings.
When he paints Dion takes a moving picture with its storyline and translates it onto the canvas. It then begins its own life and the painting communicates with him, such as where to apply what medium. He continues with this process until the painting is alive.
Dion’s has a studio space at Good Hope Art Studios (www.goodhopeart.org) in Cape Town South Africa.
Biography:
Born in 1973 in South Africa, Dion Cupido is largely self taught. In 1998 he started exhibiting at the Pea-Nut Gallery. It was only in 2003 that he decided to study at the Arts & Media Access Centre's (AMAC) professional development program, where he won the Truworths AMAC Academy of the Visual Arts award.
Over the past years, Dion has produced a consistent body of abstract work. Later his works consisted of urban escapes through the front window of his car and most recently he discovered African-Pop portraiture using industrial ink as painting medium.
For more of Dion's art see: http://dioncupido.wordpress.com/.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PAGE IS STILL IN PROGRESS
In the event that you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]
African-Pop Art Portrait Series
Under the surface is someone familiar
On Auction
Date: 2010
Medium: Industrial Ink on canvas
Size: 1.4mx1.6mx4cm
Price: Donated to be auctioned in aide of Starfish Great Hearts Foundation http://www.starfishcharity.org
Date: 2010
Medium: Industrial Ink on canvas
Size: 1.4mx1.6mx4cm
Price: Donated to be auctioned in aide of Starfish Great Hearts Foundation http://www.starfishcharity.org
Kamey
SOLD
Model
SOLD
Kamey-2
Code:
Date: 2010
Medium: Industrial Ink on canvas
Size: 1.4mx1.6mx4cm
Price: R 16,000
Date: 2010
Medium: Industrial Ink on canvas
Size: 1.4mx1.6mx4cm
Price: R 16,000
Memories
Date: 2010
Medium: Oil on wooden blocks
Size: 123cmx123cmx3,5cm
Price: R16 000-00
All prices above excludes courier and customs clearance charges
