Ricky Swallow:: Australia’s gift to the modern world

Ricky Swallow is a an Australian born and educated modern artist. His work consists mainly of sculpture and watercolour based paintings with a twist! His art is kind of like a dark, sordid twist on reality, taking modern concepts/ products and re-hashing them in a way that will either make you turn away without hesitation or stop and stare for ages.

My first introduction to him was when I picked up his published work in the form a of coffee table book called “Field Recordings” at a book sale a couple of years ago. I was initially drawn to the cover: a skull sculpture resting on its side, staring blankly at you through hollow eyes, dressed in an Adidas hood. I don’t know why but it gripped me, the detail was so intricate and vivid, that it kind of gave me chills… kind of modern morbidity.

Not everything that comes from Swallow’s is dark and sordid, his twist on modernity can be quite comical and commentary to the world at large; for instance his Darth Vader portrait, or the first apple Mac’s being made a human skull embedded with the Apple logo.

Whatever his reason for his work, detail is undeniable. Everything he does is done with such immaculate intricacy that even if you don’t like the work, you are still left impressed.

**Ricky Swallow now lives and works in Los Angeles, and has produced over 9 published works and had numerous gallery showings.

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