Tessar Lo
Tessar lo is always searching, driven by a desire to work freely, outside the boundaries of convention. As he reaches with an open heart toward that mysterious place where dream-reality and waking-reality merge, his motives are perpetually evolving.
Born in Indonesia and raised in Toronto, Tessar blends themes endemic to his Asian heritage with the pursuit of directness and conviction that motivated painters like Twombly and Gauguin. Working in mixed media on a variety of surfaces, he builds relationships in compounded layers of color and texture, drawing the viewer inward and creating an almost sensual awareness of surface.
By stripping his work of artifice and surrendering to instinct, he aspires to turn seemingly mundane subjects – a corner of the back yard, a walk in the park, a childhood toy – into powerful sources of inspiration and potential. Around these familiar landmarks, he constructs unfolding mythologies that stir the reservoirs of childlike wonder that lie buried within us all.
Since his graduation from Ontario’s Sheridan College Institute of Technology and advanced learning with a BAA in Illustration, Tessar Lo has exhibited in galleries worldwide, from Cooper Cole Gallery and Narwhal Art Projects in Toronto, to solo and group exhibitions in Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, San Francisco, Miami, Barcelona, Tokyo and Amsterdam. He lives and works in Toronto.