Veduta Delle Rovine Romane I

About the work

Paying a fresh and uniquely Gjoen-style homage to artistic tradition, this piece draws inspiration from Piranesi’s engravings and then dares us to reevaluate our perception of art and creativity by contrasting the architectural grandeur with elements of graffiti and street art. Inks on debossed 310gsm cotton rag.

Describing himself as an ‘accidental artist’, Magnus Gjoen was born in London to Norwegian parents and had a successful career in fashion before his thought-provoking spin on old masterpieces and fragments from the past made him a sought-after name in permanent collections around the world, including the Haifa Museum of Art and the Daimler Collection. Blending genres from completely different worlds, Magnus’ art is about rediscovery. He questions the notion of beauty by juxtaposing a range of styles and media, injecting a fine-art approach with a street/pop aesthetic that invites viewers to look closer, question, and challenge.