Studio Sunday: Roy Arden
Roy Arden is a Canadian artist currently based in Vancouver, BC. For today’s Studio Sunday, take a look at Arden’s studio!
Arden was originally known for his photography, but has more recently branched out into multiple mediums including film, sculpture and painting. The artist’s photographs frequently concern the urban environment, and the changing landscape of the city over time. A more recent work involved compiling images into an online database, representing a unique curatorial take on documentary photography.
For roughly the past decade, Arden has been working primarily in sculpture, painting and collage. This seems to be reflected in the above photo of his studio, where a table laden with what could be cutouts or pages ready for collaging is front and center. I’m also quite amused by the variety of empty beer and liquor bottles that are standing on the same table – they call to mind the mid-20th century’s idea of a brooding, heavy-drinking, larger than life caricature of the artist.
Other than the bottles, Arden’s studio seems quite modest considering his status as a respected fixture of the Canadian art community. Small, industrial shelving units line the walls, on which are stacked several boxes with unknown contents – perhaps more cutouts for collages, or materials for sculptures or paintings. It has the same appeal as a section of a house or garage reserved for a hobbyist, and has a charming sort of genuine love for one’s craft.