Raffi Kalenderian

Raffi Kalenderian creates portraits of his young, ambivalent-looking friends that exude a sense of detachment. Set against an ultra-flat two-dimensional space, the intricate patterns adorning clothing and furniture evolve into elaborate abstractions within his paintings.

Biography of Raffi Kalenderian

Raffi Kalenderian was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1981. In 2004, he received his BFA from the University of California in Los Angeles. That same year, he participated in a residency at Idyllwild Arts Academy in Idyllwild. 

In 2007, Kalenderian participated in a residency at St. Barthélemy in the French West Indies.

In 2010, his works were showcased at the Next Generation exhibition hosted by the Kunstmuseum St. Gallen in Switzerland. Additionally, in 2016, Kalenderian participated in the exhibition "Painters' Painters" held at the Saatchi Gallery in London.

His recent solo exhibitions include "Raffi Kalenderian: Call The Curtain / Raise The Roof/ Spirits On Tonight" at Miles McEnery Gallery in New York (2023), "Before The Moon Falls" at Vielmetter Los Angeles in Los Angeles (2022), "Raffi Kalenderian" at Nassima Landau Foundation in Tel Aviv (2021), and many more.

Currently, the artist lives in Los Angeles. 

Raffi Kalenderian's Art Style

Raffi Kalenderian's work endeavors to encapsulate a complete moment, aiming not only to depict the sitter in isolation but also to capture the entire psychological context in which they exist. Sometimes, he portrays a doppelganger alongside his subjects to achieve this.

Following Charles Baudelaire's concept of the painter of modern life, Kalenderian utilizes painterly techniques to explore the portrayal of contemporaneity within portraiture. In the footsteps of artists from Matisse to Hockney, Kalenderian successfully delves into the psychology of his subjects by integrating them within their surrounding space, thus imbuing the portraits with a universal quality while offering a nuanced visualization of the individual.

His friends serve as motifs for an investigation that spans from artistic considerations to inquiries into identity and social dynamics, engaging with contemporary discussions surrounding the self and constructed identities.