Christian Rosa

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Christian Rosa is a Brazilian-born artist. His works are built up from individual shapes and marks on large untreated canvases, using charcoal, oil paint, resin and pencil as well as large abstract sculptures.{{Cite web|title = Christian Rosa Mason's Yard 2015 |url = http://whitecube.com/exhibitions/christian_rosa_masons_yard_2015/|website = White Cube|accessdate = 6 January 2016}}

On October 13, 2021, Rosa was indicted by a federal court in Manhattan on three counts, for his alleged role in the sale of forged works purportedly by Raymond Pettibon.

Early life

Rosa was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. His parents moved when he was young to Vienna, Austria, where he was educated.

He studied under German artist Daniel Richter at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna.{{Cite web|title=Schlaglichter und Nebelgranaten: Daniel Richter im Interview|url=https://www.vice.com/de/article/schlaglichter-und-nebelgranaten-daniel-richter-im-interview/|access-date=2021-01-31|website=Vice.com|date=14 February 2017 |language=de}}

Art career

Rosa first began exhibiting in Vienna in 2008. He had his first major gallery solo show, "Love's gonna Save the Day", at Contemporary Fine Arts in Berlin, Germany in May 2014,{{Cite web|title = Christian Rosa - Love's Gonna Save The Day|url = http://www.cfa-berlin.de/exhibitions/loves_gonna_save_the_day|website = CFA Berlin|accessdate = 6 January 2016}} during Berlin Gallery Weekend, followed by a solo show at White Cube Mason's Yard in London, "Put Your Eye in Your Mouth",{{Cite web|title = Christian Rosa Mason's Yard 2015 |url = http://whitecube.com/exhibitions/christian_rosa_masons_yard_2015/|website = White Cube|accessdate = 6 January 2016}}{{cite news |last1=du Toit |first1=Wessie |title='Provisional painting' or 'slacker abstraction'? Christian Rosa at White Cube |url=https://www.apollo-magazine.com/provisional-painting-or-slacker-abstraction-christian-rosa-at-white-cube/ |access-date=8 August 2021 |work=Apollo |date=2 April 2015}}{{cite news |last1=Cumming |first1=Laura |title=Maaike Schoorel: Sub-Lo; Christian Rosa – review |url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/mar/22/maaike-schoorel-sub-lo-christian-rosa-white-cube-review |access-date=8 August 2021 |work=The Observer |date=22 March 2015}} which opened on 20 March 2015.

In 2014-15 he exhibited frequently throughout Europe, the United States and South America, finishing his year with White Cube's solo show "Mais que nada" in São Paulo, Brazil.{{Cite web|title=Camila Belchior on Christian Rosa|url=https://www.artforum.com/print/reviews/201508/christian-rosa-55024|access-date=2021-01-31|website=www.artforum.com|date=October 2015 |language=en-US}}

He participated in the Venice Biennale "Momenta" in 2013, as well as the Brucennial 2012 in New York.{{Cite news|title=Catch Up With Rising Star Christian Rosa|url=https://news.artnet.com/art-world/catch-up-with-rising-star-christian-rosa-17566|publisher=Artnet|first=Kathy|last=Grayson|date=12 May 2014|access-date=6 January 2016}} He also participated in a group exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in 2014, "Pangaea: New Art from Africa and Latin America".{{Cite web|title=Artesur » Pangea: New Art from Africa and Latin America|url=https://www.arte-sur.org/home/pangea-new-art-from-africa-and-latin-america/|access-date=2021-01-31}}

Reception

Several critics described Rosa's art as part of the "Zombie Formalism" movement, a derogatorily-named style of abstract art that gained popularity from the early to mid-2010s,{{Cite web |last=Kinsella |first=Eileen |date=2015-10-06 |title=Auction Prices Cool for 'Zombie Formalists' |url=https://news.artnet.com/market/zombie-formalism-market-cooling-337170 |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=Artnet News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2015-04-02 |title='Provisional painting' or 'slacker abstraction'? Christian Rosa |url=https://www.apollo-magazine.com/provisional-painting-or-slacker-abstraction-christian-rosa-at-white-cube/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=Apollo Magazine |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Geers |first=David |date=2015-02-20 |title=Formal Affairs |url=https://www.frieze.com/article/formal-affairs |access-date=2024-09-17 |work=Frieze |language=en |issue=169 |issn=0962-0672}} that was seen as derivative of abstract expressionism, and attracted the interest of investment focused collectors as part of a speculative bubble.{{Cite web |last=Article |first=Tim Schneider ShareShare This |date=2018-10-31 |title=Who Survived the Zombie Formalism Apocalypse? We Surveyed the Wreckage of the Last Great Art-Market Fad |url=https://news.artnet.com/market/survivors-of-the-zombie-apocalypse-1383025 |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=Artnet News |language=en-US}} David Geers wrote that Rosa's work "withdraws into the nostalgia of Joan Miró or Alexander Calder".

Other projects

Rosa was the executive producer for A Wonderful Cloud,{{Cite magazine|title=Film Review: 'A Wonderful Cloud'|url=https://variety.com/2015/film/reviews/film-review-a-wonderful-cloud-1201454419/|magazine=Variety|first=Ronnie|last=Scheib|date=27 March 2015|access-date=6 January 2016}} a film written and directed by Eugene Kotlyarenko, which had its world premiere on 15 March at the 2015 SXSW festival.

In 2018 Rosa collaborated with Baker Skateboards to release a limited edition series of skateboard decks featuring Rosa's artworks.{{Cite web|url=https://hypebeast.com/2018/3/christian-rosa-baker-skateboards-collaboration|title = Fine Artist Christian Rosa & Baker Skateboards Unveil Exclusive Collab|date = 5 March 2018}}

Legal issues

In January 2021 he was accused of stealing and partially forging a Raymond Pettibon painting.{{Cite web|date=2021-01-29|title=Wet Paint: Artist Stands Accused of Trying to Sell a Partially Forged Raymond Pettibon Work & Collectors Lose Billions in GameStop Frenzy|url=https://news.artnet.com/art-world/wet-paint-christian-rosa-raymond-pettibon-1940051|access-date=2021-08-01|website=Artnet News|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2021-02-12|title=Wet Paint: Artist Ryder Ripps and Azealia Banks Go Public as a Couple, Artist Accused of Stealing From His Mentor, & More Art-World Gossip|url=https://news.artnet.com/art-world/wet-paint-ryder-ripps-azealia-banks-1943109|access-date=2021-08-01|website=Artnet News|language=en-US}} On October 13, 2021, Rosa was federally indicted by the FBI and Southern District of New York on one count of wire fraud conspiracy, one count of wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft, for his alleged role in a scheme selling forged Pettibon paintings with fake certificates of authenticity.{{cite web|date=14 October 2023|title=The Charges Against Christian Rosa for Selling Alleged Raymond Pettibon Forgeries, Explained |website=Brankov PLLC |url=https://brankovlaw.com/insights/the-charges-against-christian-rosa-for-selling-alleged-raymond-pettibon-forgeries-explained |access-date=18 September 2024}}{{Cite web|date=2021-10-13|title=Man Charged With Selling Multiple Forged Paintings By Contemporary Artist Raymond Pettibon|url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/man-charged-selling-multiple-forged-paintings-contemporary-artist-raymond-pettibon|access-date=2021-10-13|website=www.justice.gov|language=en}}{{Cite news|last=Shanahan|first=Ed|date=2021-10-14|title=U.S. Charges Once-Rising Artist With Selling Raymond Pettibon Forgeries|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/14/nyregion/raymond-pettibon-christian-rosa.html|access-date=2021-10-30|issn=0362-4331}} On 2 December it was reported that Rosa had been arrested in Portugal,{{Cite web|date=2021-12-02|title=Kunstfälschungsverdacht: Christian Rosa in Portugal festgenommen|trans-title=Art forgery suspected: Christian Rosa arrested in Portugal|url=https://kurier.at/kultur/kunstfaelschungsverdacht-christian-rosa-in-portugal-festgenommen/401827255|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-03|website=kurier.at|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202140519/https://kurier.at/kultur/kunstfaelschungsverdacht-christian-rosa-in-portugal-festgenommen/401827255 |archive-date=2021-12-02 }}{{Cite web|last=Kronsteiner|first=Olga|title=Vorwurf der Kunstfälschung: Christian Rosa in Portugal verhaftet|trans-title=Art forgery allegation: Christian Rosa arrested in Portugal|url=https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000131608315/vorwurf-der-kunstfaelschung-christian-rosa-in-portugal-verhaftet|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-03|website=DER STANDARD|language=de-AT|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211203192539/https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000131608315/vorwurf-der-kunstfaelschung-christian-rosa-in-portugal-verhaftet |archive-date=2021-12-03 }} and was in the process of being extradited to the United States to face charges.{{Cite magazine|date=2021-12-03|title=Inside Virgil Abloh's Last Show and Other Scenes of the Art Basel Miami Beach 2021 Spend-athon|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2021/12/true-colors-art-basel-miami-beach-returns|access-date=2021-12-04|magazine=Vanity Fair|language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2021-10-13 |title=Southern District of New York {{!}} Man Charged With Selling Multiple Forged Paintings By Contemporary Artist Raymond Pettibon |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/man-charged-selling-multiple-forged-paintings-contemporary-artist-raymond-pettibon |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=United States Department of Justice}} As of October 2023, the status of the case is unclear, with Rosa reported to be residing in Vienna where he has previously been resident.{{Cite magazine |last=Freeman |first=Nate |date=2023-10-06 |title=Jay Jopling's White Cube Opens in New York. What Took Him So Long? |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2023/10/jay-jopling-white-cube-new-york |access-date=2024-09-18 |magazine=Vanity Fair |language=en-US}}

In 2023, Rosa was tried in Austria on charges of threatening and insulting Chinese-Austrian restaurateur Martin Ho a decade prior.{{Cite web |last=Möseneder |first=Michael |date=October 24, 2023 |title=Prozess gegen Künstler Rosa um Drohungen gegen Martin Ho vor zehn Jahren |trans-title=Trial against artist Rosa for threats against Martin Ho ten years ago |url=https://www.derstandard.at/consent/tcf/story/3000000192476/prozess-gegen-kuenstler-rosa-um-drohungen-gegen-martin-ho-vor-zehn-jahren |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=DER STANDARD |language=de-AT}}