Tristan Unrau employs a diverse set of technical skills in paintings depicting a wide range of subject matter—from wooly mammoths to bathroom interiors. The artist changes the thickness, speed and touch of his brushwork to match his subject matter while referencing photographs and genre paintings. Unrau’s work leads viewers through visual rhymes, art historical references and personal meditations.

BIO:

Tristan Unrau was born in Brampton, Canada. The artist received a MFA from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a BFA from the Emily Carr University of Art + Design in Vancouver, Canada. 

Solo exhibitions of Unrau’s work have taken place at: Unit 17 in Vancouver, Canada; Towards in Toronto, Canada; and Phil Gallery in Los Angeles, California. The artist’s work was shown in a 2-person exhibition at Stanley’s in Los Angeles, California in 2021.

Group exhibitions that have shown Unrau’s work have taken place at: Kasmin Gallery in New York City; Clint Roenisch Gallery in Toronto, Canada; FLAG Art Foundation in New York City; and Vancouver Art Gallery in Canada; among others.

In 2013, Unrau had a residency at the Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada. The artist was a finalist for the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) Canada Painting Competition in 2015 and 2017.

Unrau lives and works in Los Angeles, California.