Paul Rusconi (born 1965, California) is an American contemporary artist who began as a Post-War and contemporary art dealer based in Los Angeles.
Some people don't think that what I do is art - but for me art exists by definition. The beautiful and most liberating thing about being an artist is the ability to say that what I make is art. Art exists because the author says so.
I never had any intention nor interest in being an artist, but when I made work I realized that this was my language. What I had to say needed to be said in this way. I always loved taking photographs - but never considered myself a photographer. I have tremendous respect for photographers. I do use a camera and a photo as a basis for a lot of my work, but I use it as a means to attain an image to work from. The actual photography in my work is a monochromatic photograph. I'll photograph something and extract a color that will then be the background for a painting.
I think fashion is art. The dialogue I am concerned with as an artist has more to do with the art and artists that I've been influenced by. I can't help but be affected by all the art that I've seen.
Johnny Weissmuller
Ralph K. Winter, Jr.
Kelly Brook
Jean Garrigue
April Glaspie
George Andrew Olah
Mark Deklin
Jenny Lawson
Nancy Kerrigan
Peter Jackson
Larry Eisenberg
Francisco Largo Caballero