Ryan Koopmans

'Euphoria' is a digital artwork that conveys a compelling narrative about the cycle of time, the resurgence of nature, and the socio-historical nuances of architectural landscapes.

This 1/1 piece is a collision of the past and future, as well as the physical and digital worlds.

Part of the series 'Symphony' and the collection 'The Wild Within', 'Euphoria' brings an abandoned historic building back to life by combining photography and animation to create a surreal, meditative, moving architectural space.

The artwork aims to revive this vacant space, essentially bringing life back into the building.

Ryan Koopmans and his partner Alice Wexell travelled around the world for several years, exploring and photographing forsaken buildings and unique architectural sites. They were drawn to these locations based on their historical, cultural, and architectural qualities.

Locations include ancient temples in the mountains of Armenia, abandoned sanatoriums in Georgia, ruined villas in the Middle East and beyond.

Once the architecture is photographed, the images are modelled into virtual environments, and overgrown plant-life is added digitally.

Lighting and structure are then modified, an original musical composition by Swedish composer Karl-David Larson is created, and the static picture is transformed into a moving image that loops seamlessly.

The architecture featured in 'Euphoria' is situated within an interesting context, marked by a unique backstory.

The real-life structure is situated in Tskaltubo, a small Georgian town that was once a popular health destination during the Soviet Union. Thousands of people visited the town’s sanatoriums annually from the 1940s to 1990s. After the USSR collapsed, the buildings were abandoned and fell into disrepair.

Since the early 1990s, the Sanatoriums have been slowly dismantled and stripped of their valuable materials, leaving empty shells of what were once grandiose classical structures.

This abandoned ballroom in the Shaxtiori Sanatorium, constructed 1951 in Socialist Classicism style, proved to be the perfect environment for the artists to apply their creative touch for 'Euphoria'.

The building continues to deteriorate and is being slowly disassembled, further emphasizing the primary theme of the work, the passing of time in a cycle of growth and decay.

Through these artworks, the artists aim to transport the viewer into an alternate place and time.

This fusing of documentary-style photography with the imaginative potential of animation techniques results in a captivating looping digital artwork.

Recent Exhibitions of The Wild Within:

2022 - Miami, USA - Monolith at SCOPE Miami Art Week

2022 - Miami, USA - Floating Pixels at Miami Art Week

2022 - Miami, USA - Unfold x SHILLR exhibition at Miami Art Week

2022 - Montreal, Canada - SuperRare & 0x Society Present - The Wild Within

2022 - Prague, Czech Republic - Non Fungible Castle at House of Lobkowicz

2022 - Los Angeles, USA - ‘Frame of Mind, State of Time, Life Online’

2022 - Beijing, China - Yongle Auction Spring 2022

2022 - NYC, USA - MODA presents A Question For Time exhibition

2022 - NYC, USA - SuperRare Gallery x Jonathan Little exhibition

2022 - NYC, USA - Ben Skaar Curation at the South Street Seaport

2022 - NYC, USA - Time Square Showcase by NFT NYC

2022 - NYC, USA - The Pyramid Screen by NFTSea

2022 - Venice, Italy - Decentral Art Pavilion

2022 - NYC, USA - Crypt Gallery x Dream Downtown

2022 - Miami, USA - Blackdove Gallery at BTC Miami

2022 - Liverpool, UK - NFT Liverpool

2022 - Stockholm, Sweden - My Way Gallery

2022 - New York, USA - SuperRare Monolith

2022 - Stockholm, Sweden - OtherLands NFT Festival

2021 - Montreal, Canada - 0x Society

2021 - Calgary, Canada - Photoville 'The Fence'

2021 - Tokyo, Japan - NEO Shibuya Screen

2021 - Miami, USA - SuperRare Monolith

2021 - Miami, USA - The Temporal Gallery at Flagler Street

2021 - Miami, USA - MoDa The Wall at Factory Town

2021 - Dubai, UAE - WOW Summit

Ryan Koopmans is a Dutch/Canadian artist who specializes in lens-based art. His works are focused on the built environment and the impact it has on society. Koopmans is particularly interested in capturing the points of intersection where the natural and man-made worlds converge. One of Koopmans' most celebrated projects is The Wild Within, a series of digital artworks that breathe new life into abandoned historic structures. Through combining photography and animation, he creates surreal and meditative architectural spaces that transport viewers to another world.

Euphoria is a digital artwork that conveys a compelling narrative about the cycle of time, the resurgence of nature, and the socio-historical nuances of architectural landscapes. This 1/1 piece is a collision of the past and future, as well as the physical and digital worlds.

Part of the series Symphony and the collection The Wild Within, Euphoria brings an abandoned historic building back to life by combining photography and animation to create a surreal, meditative, moving architectural space. The artwork aims to revive this vacant space, essentially bringing life back into the building.

Ryan Koopmans and his partner Alice Wexell travelled around the world for several years, exploring and photographing forsaken buildings and unique architectural sites. They were drawn to these locations based on their historical, cultural, and architectural qualities. Locations include ancient temples in the mountains of Armenia, abandoned sanatoriums in Georgia, ruined villas in the Middle East and beyond. Once the architecture is photographed, the images are modelled into virtual environments, and overgrown plant-life is added digitally. Lighting and structure are then modified, an original musical composition by Swedish composer Karl-David Larson is created, and the static picture is transformed into a moving image that loops seamlessly.

The architecture featured in Euphoria is situated within an interesting context, marked by a unique backstory. The real-life structure is situated in Tskaltubo, a small Georgian town that was once a popular health destination during the Soviet Union. Thousands of people visited the town’s sanatoriums annually from the 1940s to 1990s. After the USSR collapsed, the buildings were abandoned and fell into disrepair. Since the early 1990s, the Sanatoriums have been slowly dismantled and stripped of their valuable materials, leaving empty shells of what were once grandiose classical structures. This abandoned ballroom in the Shaxtiori Sanatorium, constructed 1951 in Socialist Classicism style, proved to be the perfect environment for the artists to apply their creative touch for Euphoria. The building continues to deteriorate and is being slowly disassembled, further emphasizing the primary theme of the work, the passing of time in a cycle of growth and decay.

Through these artworks, the artists aim to transport the viewer into an alternate place and time. This fusing of documentary-style photography with the imaginative potential of animation techniques results in a captivating looping digital artwork.