Abstract Realism
Robert Scholten is an Australian artist, from Melbourne, who is a painter, printmaker, muralist and illustrator. Robert works in his own brand of abstract realism, where he conveys his observed experience by combining abstraction and figuration in layered, painterly compositions.
During his process, Robert freely plays with the abstract elements to create an exciting tension between the abstract and figurative, often working on location. He draws upon a wide range of influences, from art history to his mixed Filipino and Dutch heritage, and draws his subjects from the world around him.
Robert has created public artworks both internationally and locally, and has exhibited at galleries widely across Melbourne. Robert completed a Master of Fine Art at RMIT in 2010 and an Advanced Diploma of Visual Design at Swinburne University in 2007.
Education
2010 — Master of Fine Art, RMIT, Melbourne
2007 — Advanced Diploma of Visual Design, Swinburne University, Melbourne
2003 —Bachelor’s Degree of Information Systems, Monash University, Melbourne
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2019 — Planet Robobop, Kingston Arts G2 Space, Melbourne
2014 — Latest Work, Gallery 9, Melbourne
2013 — Collective Momentum, 106 Gallery, Melbourne
2011 — Community Spirit, Toyota Emerging Artists, Melbourne
2011 — Drawn Again, Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne
2010 — Drawn, Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne
2010 — Heroes, 106 Gallery, Melbourne
2010 — RMIT Masters Graduates, Guildford Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2009 — Traces of Being, RMIT Project Space, Melbourne
2009 — National Maritime Art Awards, Maritime Museum, Melbourne
2008 — Animal Tales, 106 Gallery, Melbourne
Publications & Artist Talks
2018 — Poster Boy, full page article, St Kilda News, Australia
2017 — Drawn from Life by Helen Birch, Hardie Grant Publishing, Australia
2015 — Creativity in the Everyday, University lecture, Phnom Penh
2015 — Sketchbooks, Zupi Magazine #46, São Paulo
2015 — Artist feature page, Unleashed Wakeboard Magazine, Toulouse
2014 — The Art of Urban Sketching, Shenyang
2015 — Sketchbooks, Zupi Magazine #46, São Paulo
2010 — Sketches and Doodles, b* creative Magazine #9
2009 — Jikininki, RMSED Magazine, Melbourne
Public Art Projects
2019 — “Planet Robobop: Imagine Nation” Temporary Art Installation, Kingston Council, Parkdale, Melbourne
2018 — “A Connection of Stories” Mural Art Installation, Birmingham PS, Mount Evelyn, Melbourne
2018 — St Kilda Festival illustration, St Kilda, Melbourne
2017 — “River of Voices” Mural Art Installation, Warranwood PS, Warranwood, Melbourne
2016 — Swinburne University, Mural, Melbourne
2016 — Freedom Machine, Car Design, Melbourne
2015 — Ock Pop Tok, Mural, Luang Prabang
2014 — Rasta Tree, Mural, Chiang Mai
2014 — Night and Day, Mural, Melbourne
2014 — Freedom Fighters, Mural, Melbourne
2014 — Creative Minds, Mural, Melbourne
2013 — Somachi, Mural, Melbourne
2013 — Tree of Life, Mural, Melbourne
2012 — Art Jam, Performance, Manila
2010 — Lake Attack, Art Facilitator, Manila
2007 — KPMG Global conference, Art Facilitator, Ho Chi Minh City
2005 — Charlie Chaplin, Mural, Osaka
2005 — Pierrot Harbour, Mural, Osaka
Press
