Breakwater, copyright Aaron Moran.
Meet Aaron Moran, the young and dynamic visual artist from Canada ! He recently collaborated with the Spanish-Giant retail company, Zara !
Tell us a bit about yourself as an introduction
I am 26 years old and grew up In Langley BC, which is about an hour from Vancouver. I studied at Emily Carr University of Art and design, and received my BFA in 2007. As of right now, I am completing a one year artist residency in Harrison hot Springs, BC.
How did it all start for you and are you now with a gallery?
Definitely, The Cheaper Show. It’s a huge one night event in Vancouver that brings together emerging artists and does a really good job of getting work into the public eye. From this, I met like-minded people who also exhibited in the show and began showing with them and so on. It has really snowballed from there. I am not currently represented by any gallery, but do show quite actively in Vancouver and elsewhere.
What was the Zara collaboration about and how did they approach you?
Zara approached me after seeing my work online via blogs, website etc. When they first spoke with me, I didn’t realize the scale of the company. As the details and discussion emerged, I soon realized that this was going to be a massive opportunity.
Working with them was absolutely amazing – the project consisted of producing work for their windows while allowing me to retaining complete control over my aesthetic. They placed great emphasis on using their reputation and reach as platform for the work, not a marketing strategy. It was important to them that the work remained pure and unadulterated. They were essentially facilitators, using their expertise to help me produce the work and get it an audience overseas. I am still floored by the amount of care and attention that was given from such a large company. The core group I worked with were some of the nicest people I have ever met and I will never forget them or the experience itself.
Artifact, copyright Aaron Moran
Is Zara converting into a gallery too?
Not that I know of – the project was really an opportunity to showcase and work with people whose work they find interesting and inspiring.
How do you make the sculptures and are you planning on using other material in the future, exploring other material?
The process consists of exploring and acquiring wood from neighborhoods, cutting it down into fragments, and reassembling them with attention given to composition, colour, and dynamism. My work is always produced intuitively without plans or sketches. As of right now, wood is my main focus, as I have the tools and know how to work with it.
What is the meaning behind your art, if there's one?
The work started as a reaction to the urban / suburban development that I grew up with and still continue to see. I use reclaimed materials from these developments to try and produce visual placeholders, or records of what is left behind as waste before condos or strip malls take their place. The pieces mirror toppled architecture and upturned land, and use hard geometric lines to reflect the manner in which land is zoned and sectioned off for use by municipalities.
What is your next project?
I am wrapping up a new series for a group show that will be taking place in the US. Right now, it still on the down low while details are being confirmed, but will be amazing when it comes to fruition.
Which other artists, designers are you close to and who would you dream to collaborate with?
Since the Cheaper Show, I have found a core group of people who keep me inspired and who I have worked with on several occasions. People such as Sarah Gee, Jessica Bell, Russell Leng, Sylvana D’Angelo, and Taryn Hubbard. There are of course plenty more but this is the go-to group.
To finish with, what do you think about the blog?
Fantastic variety, thoughtful commentary, and a noticeable passion for aesthetics spanning all mediums.
Don’t let it Die!
Thanks Aaron !
