Conrad Ruiz

A painter who works primarily with watercolours, Conrad Ruiz (b. 1984) creates works in series that explore various visual themes of masculinity and athleticism, from the Beijing Olympics to waves crashing against the beaches of California.

Often painting works that draw on popular imagery from video games and men’s magazines, Ruiz explores different ways of depicting and abstracting the body, frequently through paintings that portray athletes in motion.

Ruiz is interested in the boundary between fantasy and reality, and many of his compositions toe the line between the two, evidencing fantastical imagery set amidst everyday scenes.