Alexis Rockman was born in New York in 1962. In 1985, he graduated from the New York School of Visual Arts, where he studied animation. The artist’s work quickly captured public attention, and from the late 1980s he started participating in numerous exhibition projects around the world. In 1998, Rockman started teaching at Columbia University (New York) and later at Harvard University, giving the lectures and master classes at other universities in the United States.

From an early age, Rockman was fascinated by his mother’s work as anthropologist at the Museum of Natural History. Rockman spent most of his free time observing the excavations and traces of ancient cultures, accompanying his mother at her numerous trips. He would then return to the center of the vast megapolis experiencing the contrast between civilization and natural life in the far corners of the planet. This mix of various cultures and epochs explored greatly influenced his future artistic vision.

Rockman’s work masterfully combines his childhood fascination with natural history and his professional skills in animation. The central theme of his work is an exploration of the interaction between human culture and the natural world. How has the humankind influenced this world, and what would it be like without our active intervention? How would the future of the planet and its inhabitants change under the ever-increasing pressure of climate change, genetic engineering, and a total consumer society?

Rockman’s works can be naturally vivid and, at the same time, supernaturally aggressive. They capture the viewer with its powerful color, exceptional drawing technique and a deep philosophical meaning. The large-scale paintings refill the space with new energy and draw the viewer into the journey to the futuristic worlds.

SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS:

Brooklyn Museum (New York, NY, USA)
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York, NY, USA)
Hammer Museum, University of California (Los Angeles, CA, USA)
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) (Los Angeles, CA, USA)
Museum of Fine Arts (Boston, MA, USA)
Olbricht Collection (Essen, Germany)
Rubell Family Collection (Miami, FL, USA)
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) (San Francisco, CA, USA)
Whitney Museum of American Art (New York, NY, USA)
Zimmerli Museum, Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ, USA)