BIOGRAPHY

Born in Australia in 1982, Kareem Rizk is a Melbourne-based collage artist, illustrator and designer who graduated from Monash University in 2004 with a Bachelor in Visual Communication. During the course, Rizk developed an appreciation for collage and explored a diverse array of mixed media techniques and mediums.

After graduating, Rizk’s creative interests began to turn to fine art and illustration, particularly mixed media collage. While working as a Graphic Designer at Melbourne’s No.1 selling newspaper, The Herald Sun, his interest in collage continued to develop and by 2006 it became a focus of his endeavours.

Since his shift of focus to fine art and illustration in 2006 and his pursuit of developing his style, Rizk has earned international recognition and has been noted as one of the contemporary masters of collage, as well as one of the premier mixed media artists working today.

Working mediums include collage, acrylic, oil pastel, pencil, solvent transfers and acrylic transfers. The work is highly textured and often multi-layered with a nostalgic and weathered quality. Rizk’s works can often be vibrant with colour, while others display a very refined or minimal palette.

Working methods also extend to digital collage with a very gritty and realistic display of texture and layering. The digital work began as an experiment in blurring the line between handmade collage and digital collage.

Other work includes freelance illustration, design and art commissions for various clients including news and editorial publications, galleries, university institutes, the boutique fashion industry and the music and entertainment industry.

Rizk's work has been exhibited alongside many international collage and mixed media artists including Cecil Touchon, Robert Mars, Paul Burgess, Eduardo Recife, Greg Lamarche, Matthew Rose, Brandon McLean, James Gallagher, Sean Hillen, Mario Wagner, Charles Wilkin, Handiedan and many more. His work is also represented by Busacca Gallery in San Francisco where works by luminaries such as Andy Warhol and Banksy can be found.

Exhibitions include solo shows and group shows in Melbourne, Sydney, Byron Bay, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Washington DC, Miami, London, Berlin, Stockholm, Zurich, Barcelona, Madrid and Milan. Rizk's work has been published in numerous high profile art magazines and books and his work is held in private collections worldwide.


EDUCATION

2004 | Monash University - Bachelor of Visual Communication - Caulfield, Victoria
2001 | Brighton Bay: Art, Design & Photography Course - Elwood, Victoria
2000 | Mornington Secondary College (VCE) - Mornington, Victoria


SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2010 | 'Collagephile' - Phone Booth Gallery - California, USA
2009 | ‘Trapped in Paradise’ - Art Whino Gallery - Maryland, USA
2008 | ‘Pulp Fiction’ - Phone Booth Gallery - California, USA


SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2011 | Cutters Edges: Contemporary Collage - Gestalten Space - Berlin, Germany
2011 | Cutters: Contemporary Collage - West Cork Arts Centre - Cork, Ireland
2011 | 'I AM' Group Show- Krems, Austria

2010 | 'August Group Show' - Guerrero Gallery - California, USA
2010 | 'Revolution of Art' - Retrospect Galleries - Byron Bay, Australia
2010 | 'Retroism' (Co-curated by Kareem Rizk) - Retrospect Galleries - Byron Bay
2010 | 'Off The Hook III' - Phone Booth Gallery - California, USA
2010 | 'G40: The Summit' - Art Whino Gallery - Virginia, USA
2010 | 'In Retrospect' - Retrospect Galleries - Byron Bay, Australia

2009 | 'Petits Travaux' - Retrospect Galleries - Byron Bay, Australia
2009 | 'Let's Play' - Maverik Showroom & The Art Group - London, UK
2009 | 'Once Upon' - Ambush Gallery - Sydney, Australia
2009 | ‘Cutters’ - Cinders Gallery - New York, USA
2009 | ‘Life Essentials’ - Art Whino Gallery - Washington DC, USA
2009 | ‘Cut & Paste’ - Galleri KG52 - Stockholm, Sweden
2009 | ‘Revolution of Art’ - Retrospect Galleries - Byron Bay, Australia
2009 | ‘Mail Me Art’ - Red Gate Gallery - London, UK
2009 | ‘Off The Hook II’ - Phone Booth Gallery - California, USA
2009 | ‘Delicate Nature’ - ROJO ArtSpace - Milan, Italy
2009 | ‘Subaquatica’ - ROJO ArtSpace - Madrid, Spain
2009 | ‘Numero Atomico’ - ROJO ArtSpace - Barcelona, Spain
2009 | ‘Adidas 60th Anniversary Show’ - Adidas Store - Virginia, USA
2009 | ‘2nd Birthday’ - Gallery 696 - Melbourne, Australia

2008 | Illustrative 08 - Zurich, Switzerland
2008 | ‘Inked Souls’ - Art Whino Gallery - Maryland, USA
2008 | ‘What We Are’ - The Shoplift Gallery - London, UK
2008 | ‘Grand Opening’ - The Artery - Sydney, Australia


ART FAIRS

2010 | The Finders Keepers: Art Markets - CarriageWorks - Sydney, Australia
2010 | Art Melbourne - Carlton Exhibition Building - Melbourne, Australia
2009 | Art Basel Miami - Art Whino Gallery - Florida, USA
2009 | Art Sydney - Royal Hall of Industries - Sydney, Australia


PUBLIC DISPLAY

Exhibited work also includes large format displays in bars and clubs
in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Brazil.


BIBLIOGRAPHY

2011 | Gestalten: Cutting Egdes - Contemporary Collage

2010 | Varoom Magazine
2010 | Hi Fructose
2010 | Art World
2010 | Trip Magazine
2010 | Carne Mag
2010 | Semi-Permanent Book
2010 | The Big Issue
2010 | The Gutenberg Quarterly Concern
2010 | In Retrospect Book

2009 | In Retrospect book
2009 | Forth Thread magazine
2009 | Technaren Magazine
2009 | Day In The Lyfe
2009 | Semi-Permanent Book 1
2009 | Semi-Permanent Book 2
2009 | DG Portfolio 8
2009 | Real Living
2009 | Mail Me Art Book
2009 | BG Magazine
2009 | Idea Fixa Book - 'Greatest Hits'

2008 | Art Review
2008 | Juxtapoz Magazine (online)
2008 | Empty Magazine
2008 | Advanced Photoshop - Issue 50
2008 | Advanced Photoshop - Issue 45
2008 | Trip Magazine

2007 | ROJO Magazine
2007 | Semi-Permanent Book
2007 | Don’t Panic Magazine

2006 | Computer Arts Projects

2004 | Desktop Magazine

INFLUENCES:
Dadaism, Constructivism, Kurt Schwitters, Eduardo Recife, Richard Hamilton, Robert Mars, Mario Wagner, Charles Wilkin, Max Ernst, Hannah Hoch, James Rosenquist, Ed Ruscha.