ROPAR, DENNIS (1971-)

“Mexico  (Day Of The Dead Series)” (2011)
Mixed media
116 x 95cm
Signed lower left
*private collection, Melbourne
 
Ropar is a leading Australian Contemporary Artist. He studied Visual Arts at the University of Melbourne. His work is a pastiche of iconic imagery, pop-art references and gloriously kitsch colour. Avoiding categorization of a particular style or movement, Ropar’s work incorporates the previous five decades in art and design; 1950’s pin up girls, 1960’s Pop Art, 1980’s comic and graffiti culture and 1990’s post-modernity, all of which he amalgamates and recycles to bestow new meaning. He has exhibited widely across Australia for over 15 years, and is now regarded as one of Australia's best exponents of Pop Art. His works are extremely collectable. This stunning piece is inspired by the Mexican Day Of The Dead celebrations, mixed with mid century pinup culture and contemporary street art. This Day Of The Dead Series was quite controversial, with American photographer, Gayla Partridge, claiming Ropar stole ideas from her work. This work was exhibited at "Roparville - A Ten Year Survey" at Jackman Gallery in 2011 in Melbourne, and comes from a private Melbourne Collection.