Ralph Ortiz 'Self Portrait' (2023)

About the artist: Ralph Ortiz grew up in Phoenix, USA and has been drawn in particular to the realism element that graffiti can capture. Upon returning to New York, he found himself immersed in a diverse artistic hub, where various forms of art ignited his creativity and new found way of looking at pop culture.

Having been a tattoo artist since 2010, his venture into painting began in 2018. Echoes of pop art are evident in all his creative endeavours, be it collages, tattoos, or paintings. While he undeniably draws influence from luminaries such as Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Keith Haring, an unexpected catalyst emerged: a kaleidoscope. Observing an image of SpongeBob morph into a kaleidoscopic marvel compelled him to dive into painting headlong.

From this point, he expanded his repertoire to encompass cherished cartoon characters from his formative years—figures like Goofy, Garfield, Mickey Mouse, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.