Răzvan Botiș

b. 1984, Romanian

Biography

Răzvan Botiș is a Romanian contemporary artist living and working in Cluj, Romania. In the artistic tradition of Duchamp’s legacy, Botiș encompasses conceptual sculpture and installation, using ready-mades, found objects or ceramics to give life to his concepts.

Born in 1984 in Brașov, Romania, the Romanian neo-conceptualist does not pin himself down to a specific style or medium, defying categorization and resulting in a rich and varied oeuvre of works. Throughout his career, Botiș has often committed large periods off time to a specific series working within a certain conceptual framework, before continuing his quest chasing new ideas and following his creative incentives.

Răzvan Botiș in his studio. Photo: Instagram.

Doing so, the artist has worked with clothes as ready-made objects to construct installations andeven – what one might call – paintings. Think of his series of ‘Twomblysh, Woolish Foolish’ works. The artist is currently occupied with ceramics, acting as a neo-conceptual sculptor. He is also a prominent figure of the contemporary art scene in Cluj, Romania.

Răzvan Botiș has had residencies at the Krinzinger Projekte in Vienna, Austria; the KünstlerhausSchloß Balmoral in Bad Ems, Germany and the Kulturkontakt in Vienna, Austra. The artist is represented by SABOT gallery in Cluj, Romania.

The Romanian contemporary artist predominantly exhibited in his home country and has also had multiple international exhibitions. As a result, Botiș has participated in solo and group showsat renowned institutions such as the Center for Visual Introspection in Bucharest, Romania; the Art Encounters Biennial in Timișoara, Romania; the ARKEN Museum in Ishøj, Denmark; the Mucsarnok Kunsthalle in Budapest, Hungary; the Romanian Cultural Institute in Venice, Italy andthe Zendai Museum of Modern Art in Shanghai, China.

Artworks

Răzvan Botiș, The Ceramist (installation view), 2019. Courtesy the artist and SABOT, Cluj-Napoca. Photo:YAP Studio.
Răzvan Botiș, Voltaire street, 2016. Courtesy the artist and SABOT, Cluj-Napoca.
Răzvan Botiș, Scribbling (Twomblysh, Woolish, Foolish) / Normcore, 2014. Oil stick, pastel, ink, crayon, colored pencil, oil and acrylic on canvas, growing selection of ready-made shirts, stains, textile market, clothes hangers – variable dimensions. Courtesy the artist and SABOT, Cluj-Napoca.
Răzvan Botiș, Nomcores, 2014. Growing selection of ready-made shirts, clothes hangers – variable dimensions. Courtesy the artist and SABOT, Cluj-Napoca.
Răzvan Botiș, Wash & Go, 2008. Wood, leather, broomcorn – 20 × 29 × 15 cm. Edition 3/3 + 2AP. Courtesy the artist and SABOT, Cluj-Napoca.