PAINTING
ROBERT RICOV
 
DETAILS
Giclée print on canvas
(1/9) Limited edition
Hand signed by the artist
61 x 76 cm
2021
 
DESCRIPTION
Robert reflects that, as a boy, he once romanticized the fantasy of running away to join the circus, an escape from endless homework and the monotonous rhythm of suburban life. He describes having genuine fun while painting this piece. As the title suggests, the boy in the artwork appears to be under the influence of some kind of hallucinogen. Robert imagines that the child may have stumbled upon the pills in the ringmaster’s caravan while hiding from creepy clowns.
 
In the scene, the boy’s imaginary friend, a carousel horse, has come to life, joining him in celebration. What they are celebrating is left open to interpretation: outsmarting his pursuers, the joy of life, the freedom of youth, or perhaps the endless abundance of sweet treats found at the circus.
 
BIOGRAPHY
Robert Ricov b. 1973 Sydney, Australia BA 1994, College of Visual Arts, Sydney. Robert Ricov has been living, working, and exhibiting in Croatia since he moved there in 2022.
 
His oil paintings, in a style he refers to as “surreal maximalist realism,” use symbolism to represent themes such as the loss of innocence, betrayal, and hope.
 
In October of 2023, Robert traveled to the island of Menorca, Spain, where Guillermo Lorca and Martin Wittfooth mentored him.
 
It wasn’t until a few months after that he realized how profoundly this experience affected the direction of his work.