Unearthed by Ryan Koopmans
Unearthed
Bio
Ryan Koopmans and his creative partner Alice Wexell are artists based in Stockholm, Sweden, who specialise in the visual revival of abandoned architecture. Using a range of creative techniques, they transform real-world physical spaces into captivating digital environments that blur the boundaries between reality and fiction. Ryan Koopmans (BA, MFA) is a Canadian-Dutch lens-based artist who is passionate about the built environment and its relationship with society. He has been a full-time professional artist and photographer since 2007 whose work is collected, published & exhibited worldwide. In 2020, Koopmans published ‘Vantage’, a book that showcases surreal structures in megacities and urban landscapes. Alice Wexell is a Swedish 3D artist and photographer interested in experiencing and creating surreal environments through new technologies. Over the past decade, Wexell has worked alongside Koopmans on digital art and photography projects all over the world. Their acclaimed collaborative project, The Wild Within, explores the intricate relationship between nature, architecture, and time.
About the Work
The Wild Within is a series of digital artworks that bring new life into abandoned buildings from a bygone era. Based on real-world physical spaces, a rebirth into a digital realm has been created. Ryan Koopmans & his partner Alice Wexell visit different locations around the world, researching, exploring, and intricately capturing abandoned architectural structures that have experienced dramatic transition. Through lens-based techniques including tilt-shift digital photography and 3D photogrammetry, they combine together images to form a detailed visual of the structure. Locations are chosen based on the artists’ interests in the various socio-historical contexts of the particular place, as well as the architectural qualities of the site. The first chapter of this project began with a focus on the Georgian town of Tskaltubo, and subsequent locations consist of architectural ruins in Lebanon, Armenia, Poland and Italy. Upon returning, they digitally introduce vegetation and overgrowth, modifying the structure and lighting with the intention of reviving the empty spaces, essentially bringing life back into the rooms. The results are a surreal collision between the past and future, natural and human-made, physical and digital, and the real and imaginary. The aim of the artwork is to create a surreal sense of tranquillity and intrigue whilst referencing the intricate relationship between the manufactured and natural world. In real life, many of the buildings depicted in The Wild Within have been demolished in recent years, further emphasising the theme of time passing in the cycle of growth and decay.
About This Piece
This artwork features a spinning CryptoCube within an ancient structure photographed by Koopmans in the mountains of Armenia. Built from volcanic rock in the 10th century, this former monastery is one of Armenia's oldest, with construction spanning over 300 years. The integration of plant overgrowth, light, and mist accentuates nuanced tones, creating a serene and meditative ambiance that harmonises with the enduring solidity of the ancient walls and the spinning gem inside.
Future
A lifelong journey of recording the provenance of digital artworks on the blockchain, enabling us to develop, share, and exhibit our creative concepts worldwide for eternity.
