Artist Profile Ivan Suvanjieff
Ivan Suvanjieff, Quanta Dada #173: I Once Saw a Goat, 2024, Acrylic on canvas, 35.4″ x 27.6″ (900 mm x 700 mm).
Suvanjieff’s powerful, gestural acrylics deliver an antiwar message with verve.
Artist Statement
I look at the world and see that we are once again being consumed by war. This is the reason why I created my artistic series, Quanta Dada: To express my disgust with what is happening today. I am drawn to the Dada movement of 1916-1923, a powerful reaction to World War I by artists who believed that war itself is craziness incarnate. Dada artists used humor and absurdity to hold up a mirror to the absurdity of a world around them. Today, we find ourselves back where we were 100 years ago – only now, we have the ability to destroy humanity many times over. In this era of crushing autocracy, global greed, and a world on the brink of destruction, I believe it is time for a new Dadaism which can shock us back to our senses. It is time for Quanta Dada.
I live and paint on the northernmost tip of Spain, where the Pyrenees mountains meet the Mediterranean Sea. The Costa Brava of Spain was the stomping grounds for many artists before me, from Matisse to Duchamp to Picasso to Dalí, and the vibrant light and color here informs my artistic creations as well. My Quanta Dada series is a study in contrast between the light and the dark, as we as humanity pass through these turbulent times. Hopefully, we will make the right choices.
Artist Biography
Ivan Suvanjieff is a painter. He lives and paints on the Costa Brava, Spain. His newest Solo Exhibition, “Quanta Dada Vancouver”, is being held in Vancouver, British Columbia in February and March of 2025. Suvanjieff’s passion for social activism and free expression is evident in his diverse body of work. This commitment spans across multiple mediums, from his days as the lead singer of punk rock bands The Ramrods and The 27 to his role as associate editor of CREEM magazine. His writing is featured in The Stooges: The Authorized Story and he published over 50 issues of The New Censorship: Monthly Journal of the Next Savage State. Suvanjieff also extends his influence into the world of film; his most recent film, “Shirin Ebadi: Until We Are Free,” was recently broadcast on BBC.