Robert Russell (b. 1971) lives and works in Los Angeles, California. He received his MFA from the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in 2006 and his BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design.

Russell’s paintings treat ordinary objects—cups, books, figurines, candles—as vessels of memory and ritual. Working with a subdued palette and a precise, contemplative approach, he explores how images can be sanctified by attention: how repetition, gesture, and witness can transform the most mass-produced forms into sites of devotion. His practice is guided by an interest in ritual, the sanctification of time, and the possibility of making holy the ordinary.

Across projects—from early Teacup and Book paintings to portraits of porcelain and Judaica objects—Russell’s work holds grief, memory, and survival in tension with beauty and everyday function. His most recent bodies of work, including Porzellan Manufaktur Allach, Stateless Objects, and new paintings of yahrzeit candles, extend his inquiry into how objects become witnesses to history and repositories of meaning.

Recent solo exhibitions include Anat Ebgi Gallery, Miles McEnery Gallery, The Cabin LA, LA><ART, François Ghebaly Gallery, Osmos (New York), and the Burrard Arts Foundation (Vancouver, BC), where he was also artist in residence. His work has been included in group exhibitions at Roberts & Tilton Gallery, Material Press MOCA LA, and M+B Gallery, among others.