The Sanity Annex

Remi Rough (b. London, 1971) deals with visual semantics, distilling fragments of the world around him into powerful abstract compositions. Unlike ‘pure’ abstract painters such as Malevich and Mondrian, Remi’s pseudo-sculptural paintings and large- scale murals are instilled with a ‘street-wise’ energy and tension born from early experiences as a young graffiti writer, painting walls and trains across the world. Those familiar with the almost impossibly intricate interplay between geometry, line and colour seen in late-80’s ‘wildstyle’ graffiti will undoubtedly discover deconstructed visual clues to the artists schooling. Both colour and music have played important formative roles in the development of abstract art – Kandinsky is widely believed to have had synesthesia – and both Plato and Baudelaire wrote of the visual arts using auditory terms. The instinctive use of colour and geometric form in Remi’s work can often result in what might be described as the graphic notation for some unseen urban symphony, such as in the visual scores of Hans-Christoph Steiner. It may come as no surprise then, to learn that Remi is also an accomplished music producer. The effect is perhaps best experienced when witnessing one of his vast murals, where geography, geometry and architecture align to immerse you fully in the multi-dimensional mind of the artist. With site-specific projects such as the Ghost Village in Scotland, Morning Dynamics at Art Basel in Hong Kong, numerous publications and a gallery career spanning over 30 years and as many international cities, Remi Rough is building a legacy that – as with all great innovators – may only be truly appreciated with the passage of time. - Ed Bartlett. Curator and founder of The Future Tense
Recent solo exhibitions include Volume, MOCA London. London, UK (2018); Interlude (With Peter Lamb & Charley Peters, House of St Barnabas. London UK (2108); Morning Dynamics, External mural project with MTRHK and Swir Properties Arts. Hong Kong(2018); and Syncopation (With LX One), Zimmerling & Jungfleisch. Saarbrucken, DE (2018). Selected group exhibitions include Happy Hour, curated by Roberto Ekholm, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Melior Place, London (2019); Graffuturism Paris, L’Alternatif. Paris FR (2019); Art from the streets, Art Science Museum, Singapore (2018); Compendium, Treason Gallery, Seattle US (2017) and Re-Define, Dallas Contemporary, Dallas US (2017).