Stephen Rovner Biography

New work Charlie Rose Series-

The execution of the “Charlie Rose” series of paintings is very quick and intense. They are painted on whatever is at hand, wallpaper samples, canvas scraps, etc. I use no video or digital recording devices.

I enjoyed the diversity of the guests and the intensity of their conversation and to record what I saw and heard. During that process I learned more than I would have just watching the show. I wanted to remember what they had to say, what they looked like. Each painting became a learning and a creative experience. The result is this group of paintings.

For many people, the very definition of good (or great) art lies in its ability to stand on it’s own,to say what it has to say with only a title as explanation. This somewhat closeminded viewpoint only serves to broaden the schism between the art community and lay people in which “modern art” is often rejected as a whole due to the seemingly hermetic nature of the work of some of it’s brightest stars ie Picasso,Duchamp,Pollock etc.
A lack of “beauty”, and the use of ugly , frightening, or noir images often serves to further the misunderstandings and modern art is convicted without trial. Richard Serra could not be more right when he said,”Beauty is the residue of art not the goal”.
My own artwork is often quite straightforward and sometimes very beautiful, but for those works which deviate from the traditional, or employ metaphor, a longer look may help.

Many of my painted landscapes reference human intrusion into otherwise “natural” environments. Sometimes this idea is taken to the extreme and a small bit of nature grows from between the cracks.

Sculpture-

Made almost entirely from recycled components, my animated zoetrope sculptures spin on stripped down record turntables while being illuminated by a flashing strobe light in a darkened room. The effect is similar to a moving holographic image. The zoetropes may also be viewed in a static state as wall sculpture. Most of these sculptures make use of simple everyday objects as metaphors for the human condition and reference various historical events.
Also included in the sculpture area are two older ,(never exhibited) post-surrealist cast aluminium peices which I feel relate very directly to the new zoetropes in content and intention.