PIERMARQ* is pleased to present an incredible body of work by New Zealand artist Rob Tucker, for his solo show titled ‘Virtual Vacation’.
Tucker has become known for his distinct renderings of still life and landscapes; executed through geometric shapes, simplified forms and an enhanced focus on colour. The artist has experienced international success, with works exhibited in London, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Berlin, Hong Kong, Singapore & Tel Aviv. The modest subjects of Tucker's paintings are merely a starting point from which he can freely and boldly stretch beyond the norms of his chosen genre. This results in playful interpretations of life, where colour works magnificently to substitute finer details; and in doing so, challenges our notions of what traditionally constitutes still life and landscape painting.
Tucker has repeatedly defined his works through his experimentation with media; replacing canvas for wood board and dabbling with texture through the frequent adoption of oil stick. In recent years, the artist has sited Californian architecture - namely iconic locations like Palm Springs and the Hollywood Hills – as inspiration which repeatedly informs his works. ‘Virtual Vacation’ is a continuation of this line of thought. Tucker enhances his focus on North American design; depicting ‘pool-scape’ architecture which he has virtually travelled to online during the pandemic. In executing this body of work on canvas, Tucker provides a soft backdrop to complement and enhance a predominantly pastel colour palette. These elements combine with Tucker’s abstraction of subject matter to conjure feelings of warmth and nostalgia; reminiscent of the David Hockney’s era of pop-art and abstraction.
In this turbulent period of isolation ‘Virtual Vacation’ possesses a universal appeal; Tucker provides a space of respite through his works, where viewers may escape and admire the beauty and freedom associated with spaces of vacation.
