Ryan Koopmans (BA, MFA) is a lens-based artist with a focus on the built environment, its relationship with nature and the societies that evolve within it.

He was raised on Vancouver Island in BC, Canada. He completed his undergraduate studies at UBC in Vancouver in 2008 and earned his Master of Fine Arts in Photography, Video & Related Media from The School of Visual Arts in New York City in 2012.

Koopmans’ interdisciplinary undergraduate background in Geography, Art History, and Psychology laid the foundation for his fascination with architecture and the communities shaped by it.

While initially considering architecture graduate school, he discovered his profound connection with visual art as a means to explore his curiosities and convey his visual and conceptual interests.

His primary artistic focus centres on capturing surreal structures within megacities and urban landscapes where he skillfully employs geometry, repetition, and vibrant colours to convey what he calls ‘the poetry of form in intriguing settings.’ 

His work essentially serves as documentation of the points where the natural and human-made worlds converge. Koopmans’ book Vantage published by Black Dog Press in 2019, delves deeply into this subject matter.

Growing up on the vast and rugged West Coast of Canada has influenced his preference for a wide perspective, allowing him to often embrace a grand sense of scale in his artwork. Throughout his career, the relationship between nature and the built environment has remained a central theme.

Whether he’s exploring modern cities transformed by urban expansion or searching through the decaying interiors of forgotten towns, the interplay between the natural world and architectural landscapes remains the heart of his artistry. 

His lens-based artwork is frequently displayed in international exhibitions, publications, and his work can be found in some of the world’s foremost private art collections.

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ryan@ryankoopmans.com