Culture From Your Laptop: London Artist Launches Virtual Immersive Exhibition In Response To Social Distancing on April 9

This April, Canadian native, TRATE, will unveil his latest series of works, Technicolour Malaise, to the London art scene. The third solo show of his figurative works over the last 12 months, the pieces showcase his haunting aesthetic and embody his ability to capture human sensibilities in a deceptively simple form.

Infatuated with how people's experiences are etched into their physical traits, TRATE has developed a unique artistic ability to reimagine the human form and expose inner thoughts and emotions on canvas.

Acting as a counterforce to the aesthetics of the digital age, where seemingly perfect social media imagery weighs on our perception of existence, the self-taught artist offers a raw, humane lense to look at humanity.

Whilst pursuing a varied, nomadic path, TRATE has dedicated himself to honing his artistic craft in private for over two decades. Having struggled with dyslexia as a child, art ultimately became his chosen means of self-expression.

TRATE tried his hand at sculpture and woodwork as a teenager before being finally drawn to painting. After exploring different mediums, TRATE developed an organic affinity to oil- on-canvas painting. Using handmade paints mixed with large ratios of walnut, safflower and linseed oils, TRATE’s works are deeply textural; a single work can take two months to dry.

Now living in London, the artist behind the alias, TRATE, has had a rather storied and nomadic life, with many years spent travelling and exploring different pursuits. Ranging from tree-planting in the harsh, remote forests of Northern Canada, to several years of humanitarian work with the UN in Mali, to living on a farming commune near the Swiss Alps, to working in finance in Buenos Aires, Mexico City and London. The vibrancy of these diverse experiences, distilled through his imagination, ultimately act as inspiration for TRATE's figurative works.

His work depicts the rawness of the human condition through reimagined physical forms, oil laden brushstrokes, and a vivid aesthetic - a humane antidote to the digital age.