Cooper, Soothing, 2022
£ 1,600
Biography
“I like to reimagine the genre of still life, bringing a fresh new style to representing the beauty of nature”.
From collaborating with multinational corporation Puma to painting the WeTransfer Headquarters, Cooper’s colour canvases and murals invite the viewer to step into a kaleidoscopic world that champions the beauty of nature. Known for his alternative approach to still life, Cooper utilises a diverse and vibrant palette, evoking the vivid colours of the 1990s post-Modernist pop movement. Inspired by artists including David Hockney and Jonas Wood, the American artist has already established a loyal and international collector base.
Born and raised in Evansville, Indiana, Andrew Cooper – now more widely known as Cooper – is an American visual artist. Passionate about art from a young age, the artist created drawings in sketchbooks and at seven years old, wrote a message that would later prove prophetic in his diary, which read “I want to be an artist when I grow up”. As he grew older, the artist pursued sport, temporarily pausing his creative pursuits. Yes, on enrolling at Ball State University in Indiana, his passion for art continued to flourish, and as a result, he decided to go to art school to study graphic design.
Although primarily focussed on graphic design, Cooper took extra classes in painting and woodwork, mastering all mediums. Two weeks after graduating in 2016, the artist moved to Miami to working at a record label as a graphic designer. After staying there for a year, Cooper moved to Los Angeles to pursue his career as a freelance artist, perfecting his painting technique.
Taking inspiration from his surroundings and inspired by the colour combinations and patterns around him, the artist started creating wildflower murals and paintings that garnered the instant attention of influential brands like Puma and Mountain Dew.
In 2018, the 28-year-old artist was commissioned by the now late American rapper, Nipsey Hussle, to paint his signature wildflower design on the basketball court of the rapper’s former school, 59th Elementary in Los Angeles. Launched as part of a charitable giving campaign in partnership with multinational sportswear corporation Puma, $10,000 was donated to the school, with the refurbished court drawing national attention. Following this collaboration, Cooper has gone on to partner with several notable brands including WeTransfer and Vans.
In 2019, the artist moved back to Evansville, Indiana to allow himself to expand his practice both mentally and physically. During this time, the artist started exploring still life – a genre which he continues to investigate to this day. Infusing colourful interiors with flowers and plants, the artist brings a fresh perspective and style to the traditional genre. Cooper launched his first solo show in London at Maddox Gallery Westbourne Grove. Opening sold out, Cooper's neo contemporary still-life works received critical acclaim and demand for his work continues to grow.
