Rares Kerekes, Painter, Bucharest

Modern, abstract, figurative and cubistic – that’s his style. Rares Kerekes can live from his art. Finally. It was not always easy for the young painter. Born in 1982 in Sighișoara he became first a high school art teacher. But all his life he has been fascinating by painting. In 2011, after six years working as a teacher he moved to Bucharest.
Finally living his dream: Being a free lance artist. “Sometimes it is very hard to live from your art, especially when you are young. But when you have a name and people start getting to know you, it is good.” Rares Kerekes talks about his life. “This was my way. I guess, this period now is the start of being an older artist”, he smiles. He knows how it is to be an unknown artist. Today this is past. “Collectors heard about me and started to buy my paintings.”
His inspiration he draws from the great artists of the past: Cezanne, Picasso, their landscape paintings. And he developed a new topic when he painted landscapes from Transylvania, called Between Mystic and Medieval. He likes to change his style. But always he has a message to the people who look at his pictures. “I want them to relax when they see my paintings, they should feel good!” After having exhibitions all over Romania and also in Bulgaria he came back to his birth place. The reason was a grant for artists. In Sighișoara he will work for some weeks, together with other artists. “It is a real challenge. I am looking forward for the exchange with my colleagues.”