A new online art platform, launched internationally, has multiple connections to this province.
Ronin.art is a global art platform focused on artists from around the world.
It launched earlier in the week with a tribute to Amy Winehouse by Newfoundland photojournalist David Howells, and hand print artist Russell Powell from San Jose.
The platform was the brainchild of Newfoundlander Chad Richardson who has been living in Los Angeles for years.
He was developing an idea about an online documentary series, but the idea took a turn after a recent trip home. He says they were originally planning to travel to Mexico to visit an artist a la Anthony Bourdain.
“I was at lunch with some friends of mine, and someone asked a really interesting question; ‘How does anybody work in Venice?’” Essentially the idea was how do you work in such a beautiful locale. That, Richardson says, was the impetus for starting their whole project in Newfoundland.
He called his friend, filmmaker Roger Maunder, who was immediately on board, and he introduced him to the work of David Howells.
“and then by Monday we were filming the first episode of the documentary,” says Richardson, “and since then, David and Roger and I have travelled to the Philippines.” That’s where they shot episode 2 with a 107-year-old tattoo artist.
Ronin.art allows people to buy both physical and digital pieces of art from artists around the world. Richardson bills it as a way to address commerce killing creativity.
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