Chris Rivers England, b. 1983
Born in 1983, Chris Rivers is a self taught artist from Manchester, England. A former professional rock drummer, Rivers began painting in 2014. His large and dramatic oil paintings are bold, abstract displays of charged colour and fine, surrealistic detail.
Not everything is as it first seems in these worlds. Soft light filters through overlaying mists of complimentary tones, gradually swelling with dramatic saturated colour before receding into the image. Upon closer inspection, these clouds are populated by minute details; flowers, insects, figures and other characters scatter and interact across the painted surface, offering a sense of scale to the great haze of abstract colour. Distinct rococo elements can also be detected, as curvilinear motifs fade in and out of the vibrant, bustling compositions.
"It's about the things you don't notice at first," states Rivers, "a contrast between innocence and something darker." In this way, layers of narrative, emotion and atmosphere surge against each other. Conflicting yet complimentary, the image is built upon this ensemble of disparate and harmonious elements. These paintings are accomplished explorations of such contrasts, where subtle details are framed against turbulent backgrounds, light against dark, building dense and complex narratives.
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Chris RiversEchoes From Above #1, 2025Oil on canvas47 1/4 x 47 1/4 in
120 x 120 cm -
Chris RiversEchoes From Above #2, 2025Oil on canvas47 1/4 x 47 1/4 in
120 x 120 cm -
Chris RiversIn Harmony and Disorder #2, 2025Oil on canvas59 x 40 1/8 in
150 x 102 cm -
Chris RiversIn Harmony and Disorder #3, 2025Oil on canvas59 x 40 1/8 in
150 x 102 cm -
Chris RiversThe Quiet and Space, 2025Oil on canvas35 3/8 x 29 1/2 in
90 x 75 cm -
Chris RiversEveryone Needs Space II, 2023Oil on canvas71 x 67 in
180 x 170 cm
(Individual pieces are 90cm x 170cm) -
Chris RiversEveryone Needs Space IV, 2023Oil on canvas71 x 67 in
180 x 170 cm
(Individual pieces are 90cm x 170cm) -
Chris RiversFigures Study I, 2023Oil on paper31 1/8 x 22 1/2 in
79 x 57 cm -
Chris RiversI'll Be Whatever You Want Me To Be, 2023Acrylic on panel59 x 67 in
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Chris RiversI'll Be Whatever You Want Me to Be Study I, 2023Acrylic on paper27 ½ x 22 in
70 x 56 cm -
Chris RiversI'll Be Whatever You Want Me to Be Study II, 2023Acrylic on paper27 ½ x 22 in
70 x 56 cm -
Chris RiversOther Places Study I, 2023Oil on paper27 ½ x 22 in
70 x 56 cm -
Chris RiversPortal, 2023Oil on canvas47 x 43 in
120 x 110 cm -
Chris RiversThe Empty Space Study, 2023Oil on paper22 x 27 ½ in
55.9 x 69.8 cm -
Chris RiversA Place Far Away From Here II, 2022Oil on canvas59 x 59 in
150 x 150 cm -
Chris RiversAdam, 2022Oil on canvas25 ½ x 31 ½ in
65 x 80 cm -
Chris RiversAngels are Astronauts - Earth, 2022Hand Finished Limited Edition Print on Canson Arches Aquarelle Rag29 ½ x 28 in
75 x 71 cmEdition of 20$ 1,500.00 -
Chris RiversAngels are Astronauts - Neptune, 2022Hand Finished Limited Edition Print on Canson Arches Aquarelle Rag29 ½ x 28 in
75 x 71 cmEdition of 20$ 1,500.00 -
Chris RiversAngels are Astronauts - Saturn, 2022Oil on canvas71 x 67 in
180 x 170 cm -
Chris RiversEve, 2022Oil on canvas25 ½ x 31 ½ in
65 x 80 cm -
Chris RiversAngels are Astronauts - Mercury, 2021Oil on canvas71 x 67 in
180 x 170 cm -
Chris RiversThis Was Once A Pretty Landscape II, 2021Oil on canvas59 x 59 in
150 x 150 cm -
Chris RiversA Landscape With Melting Stars, 2020Oil on canvas25 ½ x 23 ½ in
65 x 60 cm -
Chris RiversAngels are Astronauts - Pluto, 2022Hand Finished Limited Edition Print on Canson Arches Aquarelle Rag29 ½ x 28 in
75 x 71 cmEdition of 20
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The Zodiac Universe
New York Preview 20 - 21 Jun 2025Each edition can be inscribed with a date of your choosing - whether it’s a birthday, a memory, or a special moment in time. Two prints are available in this...Read more -
Under the Sun
Summer at Friedrichs Pontone 13 Jun - 23 Aug 2025 -
No Snow Birds Allowed
Art Miami Meets Tribeca 1 Dec 2023 - 27 Jan 2024Friedrichs Pontone is delighted to present a collective exhibition of works by Chris Rivers, Richard Harrison, Henry Jabbour, Im Jibin, Jae Yong Kim, Hwang Seontae and Choi Soowhan.Read more -
Tribeca Summer Show
27 Jul - 19 Aug 2023Against the backdrop of sun-kissed skyscrapers and bustling streets, Friedrichs Pontone is thrilled to present our Tribeca Summer show, an extraordinary group exhibition that encapsulates the eclectic spirit of this...Read more -
Chris Rivers
Satellite 18 May - 18 Jun 2023Friedrichs Pontone is thrilled to present Satellite , a solo exhibition of works by British artist Chris Rivers, featuring a mesmerizing selection of his otherworldly, stellar skyscapes. Rivers' large-scale paintings...Read more -
LAUNCH
9 Sep - 2 Oct 2022A new contemporary art gallery, Friedrichs Pontone, opens in Tribeca. A joint venture between Martin Friedrichs from New York and Domenic Pontone from London that combines a wealth of art...Read more -
Soft Launch
22 Jun - 27 Jul 2022Welcome to our new contemporary gallery in the heart of TribecaRead more
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Aspen Art Fair
29 Jul - 2 Aug 2025Friedrichs Pontone is delighted to exhibit at the second edition of The Aspen Art Fair. Presenting works by seven artists, our exhibition is a rich...Read more -
Seattle Art Fair
17 - 20 Jul 2025Friedrichs Pontone is pleased to be presenting at the 2025 edition of Seattle Art Fair. Included in the exhibition are works by Angela Glajcar, Chris...Read more -
Art on Paper 2023
7 - 10 Sep 2023 -
Intersect Aspen 2023
1 - 4 Aug 2023Friedrichs Pontone is thrilled to be participating in the 2023 edition of Intersect Aspen taking place in Aspen, Colorado from 1 August through 4 August....Read more -
Intersect Aspen
31 Jul - 4 Aug 2022Friedrichs Pontone is delighted to participate in the 2022 edition of Intersect Aspen, showcasing a selection of works by leading artists from across the gallery’s...Read more
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Chris Rivers
Studio Process: Odyssey May 19, 2022 -
Chris Rivers
Studio Process: Celestial Gardens May 19, 2022Take a behind the scenes look into Chris Rivers' studio in Manchester as he puts the finishing touches onto the paintings featured in his next exhibition, 'Celestial Gardens'.Read more -
Chris Rivers
Studio Process May 19, 2022British artist Chris Rivers painting in his studio.Read more
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Chris RiversOther Places I | New York Edition, 2023Limited Edition Print on Hahnmühle Fine Art Agave Paper35 ½ x 35 ½ in
90 x 90 cmEdition of 50$ 450.00 -
Chris RiversOther Places II, Edition 2 of 10, 2023Hand finished limited edition print on Hahnemühle Fine Art Agave paper35 ½ x 35 ½ in
90 x 90 cmSigned "02/10, Other Places 2, Chris"Sold -
Chris RiversOther Places II, Edition 4 of 10, 2023Hand finished limited edition print on Hahnemühle Fine Art Agave paper35 ½ x 35 ½ in
90 x 90 cmSigned "04/10, Other Places 2, Chris" -
Chris RiversOther Places II, Edition 5 of 10, 2023Hand finished limited edition print on Hahnemühle Fine Art Agave paper35 ½ x 35 ½ in
90 x 90 cmSigned "05/10, Other Places 2, Chris" -
Chris RiversOther Places II, Edition 8 of 10, 2023Hand finished limited edition print on Hahnemühle Fine Art Agave paper35 ½ x 35 ½ in
90 x 90 cmSigned "08/10, Other Places 2, Chris"$ 1,500.00 -
Chris RiversOther Places II, Edition 9 of 10, 2023Hand finished limited edition print on Hahnemühle Fine Art Agave paper35 ½ x 35 ½ in
90 x 90 cmSigned "09/10, Other Places 2, Chris"Sold -
Chris RiversAngels are Astronauts - Earth, 2022Hand Finished Limited Edition Print on Canson Arches Aquarelle Rag29 ½ x 28 in
75 x 71 cmEdition of 20$ 1,500.00 -
Chris RiversAngels are Astronauts - Neptune, 2022Hand Finished Limited Edition Print on Canson Arches Aquarelle Rag29 ½ x 28 in
75 x 71 cmEdition of 20$ 1,500.00 -
Chris RiversAngels are Astronauts - Sun, 2022Hand Finished Limited Edition Print on Canson Arches Aquarelle Rag29.5 x 28 in
75 x 71 cmEdition of 20$ 1,500.00 -
Chris RiversGenesis C, 2022Limited Edition Print on Hahnemühle Fine Art Agave Paper22 x 22 in
56 x 56 cmEdition of 100$ 350.00