THE ARTIST

Joshua L. R. Biren was born, raised, and currently resides in Cincinnati, Ohio. He has been persevering through higher education since 2017 and is currently completing his BFA at the University of Cincinnati in the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. Drawing and painting have always served a cathartic need within the artist. Creating artwork allows him to process, record, exaggerate, and share his perceptions of the chaotic and complex world we live in today. 

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In my search for balance and meaning in a world full of absurdity, artmaking provides me with an anchor. It keeps me from drifting off. Through drawing and painting, I process, record, and communicate the way I see everything around me. Drawing and painting provide me with Catharsis. It lends me a chance to both escape reality and return stronger than before. 

 

I am inspired by the philosophies of existentialism, absurdity, and humanism as described by 19th-century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and 20th-century American philosopher Thomas Nagel. Art historical movements such as post-impressionism, expressionism, surrealism, cubism, and emotional realism inform my direction. Typically, my work revolves around themes of isolation, dissociation, states of mental health, and perseverance. I paint with watercolors to capture layers of light and texture while using a mixture of ‘happier’ and ‘lonelier’ color schemes to explore the imbalance I feel today. Using all of the techniques at my disposal, I aim to pull you into my world and show you what I see. 

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