Ariel Kofman (AR)

Ariel Kofman (AR)

Ariel Kofman was born in Buenos Aires and teaches art and engraving techniques. In his works the human body intermingles with undefined architectural figures which creates a playful but sometimes disorientated landscape full of political allegories. Kofman´s work is a whimsical portrait of the hustle and bustle of today’s society.

Whimsical yet slightly horrific, his engravings are utterly unique places where the eye can wander through these detail-rich environments. Humans and animals interact with everyday objects such as pens, cars and architectural elements in this dystopian work, Ariel Kofman has created. A juxtaposition is omnipresent in Kofman’s work as representations of joy clash with a very malevolent atmosphere. A depiction of hands in prayer is shown alongside what appears to be a human skull in “Cathedrals and Faith”. A representation of Memento Mori and the sad futility of our existence. Cathedrals and fragments of architectural elements remain in most of his pieces, some of which are recognisable and others which are alien in their arrangement, as is the case with the work “Second Holy Announcement”

Ariel Kofman (AR)

. One is unsure whether the elements are that of a structure or are only to further his surrealist theme he is working with. Colour is rare in Kofman’s work. It is restricted to either black and white, or muted beiges and rose hues comparable to sepia. Vibrant colour is only shown in minute details such as a small heart in “TV Watchers Ecstasy”. The lack of colour leaves one to focus on the detail. Methods such as cross hatching are on full display in minute triangles, spheres and squiggles. He is interested in the concept of style over substance as he focuses on the incredible and ornate architectural details in some of his work. In “Cathedrals and Sunset” he depicts the facade of a cathedral as the focal point of the work, an incredibly detailed etching where the pillars and arches are treated with much care and time. It is comparable to the work of a skilled draughtsman. Even some of the material used has text related to mathematics and architecture, as is the case with “Vicary and TV Watcher Cathedral”, where calculations appear in blue amongst a technically-rich masterpiece. While some of his work is relegated to depictions of uneasy horror, others to the naked eye are simply surreal and have no meaning on a cold read. “Flotante”, for instance, has stamps, a face profile of what appears to be a cardinal and a ballpoint pen and pen-cap. While other works are heavy on symbolism related to misfortune such as a black cat, it is difficult to pinpoint the meaning of other works of Ariel Kofman. While not following the consistent theme at all times, I personally have a certain interest for his depiction of everyday objects. I am not interested in the unsettling imagery, so the everyday, utilitarian objects such as the pen remain my point of interest in the work. Kofman also treats them with the same attention to detail, making it feel much more tactile to the viewer.

Find more works on our webshop here>>>>>

TV watcher’s ecstasy                                                            Vicary TV-watcher and Cathedral