Vitae

“All previous work by Peter Riviera in the field of visual arts shows his ability to merge tradition with contemporary expression. As both a sculptor and a painter, Riviera reaches modern artistic language with ease while remaining faithful to traditional techniques. In doing so, he proves that modernity is primarily a state of mind. Moreover, technologically advanced interpretation is neither a prerequisite nor a necessity for contemporary visual art, despite how it may often appear.

Tradition and Contemporary Expression

The intersection of the traditional and the contemporary is one of the most recognizable characteristics of Riviera’s artistic expression. However, this connection is never simple, expected, or accidental. Instead, Peter skilfully manipulates both worlds and places them within the realm of his own poetic vision. As a result, the boundaries between them disappear, allowing their relationship to appear provocative, witty, and at times deeply critical.

A series of works titled “The Lives” explores the question of life through mystical, philosophical, historical, political, and biological perspectives. Furthermore, the complexity of Riviera’s work offers viewers not only an aesthetic experience, but also an intellectual and moral challenge.

He boldly uses a wide range of visual and symbolic resources. At the same time, he returns to stable meanings and narratives that much of modern art abandoned during the second half of the twentieth century.

Classical Technique and Popular Culture

Using classical painting techniques and drawing inspiration from medieval miniatures and Byzantine icons, Riviera achieves effects associated with comic books and even street art. Consequently, he uses elite artistic forms to enter the realm of popular culture and modern visual language. At the same time, his work remains connected to the sacral, religious, and spiritual dimensions of art.

Taking life itself as his central theme, Peter explores its many aspects through biographical scenes of notable individuals. Importantly, his selection of subjects is always careful, provocative, honest, and consistent. By adopting the structure of saints’ lives typical of Christian art, Riviera portrays figures such as Kurt Cobain, Jack the Ripper, Elvis Presley, and Bobby Fischer.

Through his meticulous and analytical selection of life situations, Riviera tells stories about fame and suffering, villains and kings, life and death. Consequently, he brings the meaning of human existence into focus.

Monumentality and Artistic Narration

Each painting is accompanied by a wooden altar inspired by medieval Romanesque altars. Therefore, the display gains additional monumentality and visual attraction. At the same time, these structures emphasize the principles of quotation and reinterpretation that are deeply present throughout Peter’s work.

Acting as an artistic narrator, Riviera moves closer to folklore and ancient artistic practices, returning to the very beginnings of art itself. Within this broad creative space, he moves from one end of cultural expression to the other while connecting them through a unique artistic vision. As a result, Peter presents himself as a passionate and thorough explorer of human life”.

Without attempting to hide his fascination, love, and understanding of humanity, Riviera articulates his perspective bravely and without pretension. Furthermore, he does so in a time when art often loses meaning and abandons narration, moving increasingly closer to design and decoration under the influence of industrial development.

For this reason, the artistic expression of Peter Riviera represents a return not only to abandoned techniques, but also to forgotten concepts in visual art. Nevertheless, this does not make him less contemporary. On the contrary, it allows him to move ahead of his time”.

– Phd, Jelena Nikolić