Raffi Kalenderian

Raffi Kalenderian is an American painter born in 1981 in Los Angeles, California, where he continues to live and work. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2004. That same year, he participated in an artist residency at Idyllwild Arts Academy and completed another residency at Medium in St. Barthélemy, French West Indies, in 2007. ​ In his portraits, Kalenderian depicts his young friends against ultra-flat, two-dimensional backgrounds, incorporating detailed patterns on clothing and surroundings. This approach invites viewers to explore both the psychology of the subjects and their relationship with their environment. The artist describes his work as "a post-punk wall of sound blended with anime, video games, and Willem de Kooning." ​ Kalenderian's work has been showcased in solo exhibitions at esteemed venues such as Miles McEnery Gallery in New York, Vielmetter Los Angeles, and the Nassima Landau Art Foundation in Tel Aviv. His pieces are included in significant collections, including the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.