Biography

Ryan Peter French is a mancunian artist who uses art to explore mythology, narrative and consciousness. Practising both digital media and traditional oil painting methods, he has cultivating a unique creative process that draws from the rich visual language of the Italian Renaissance, the dreamlike qualities of Surrealism, and the explorative spirit of psychogeography.

French’s practice combines digital with the physical. He draws inspiration from his surroundings, taking pictures and manipulating them. Here, the use of digital media becomes a modern form of automatism, echoing the motivations of the Surrealists to challenge current societal norms through subversive, symbolic imagery. The result of these explorations become the basis for his oil paintings, allowing the physicality and nuance of paint to further transform the work. The end works invite the viewer into a world where imagination and reality coalesce.

French is first and foremost a storyteller. Weaving together layers of symbolism, mythology and idealist philosophy, he uses art as a medium to uncover and articulate the deeper truths in our collective psyche. He aims not only to create visually striking artworks, but encourage viewers to explore, deeply, their own personal narratives and embrace the transformative and introspective nature of art.