About

King Rhomberg is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans painting, sculpture, and textile amongst others. Born to Chinese and Austrian parents, his work navigates the interplay between East and West, Classic and Contemporary, merging these modern dialectics with a personal exploration of identity and locality. His rich cultural heritage, coupled with life between Hong Kong and Vienna, shapes a diverse artistic vocabulary that delves into relationships of place, memory, and the structures that bind them.

Rhomberg's art is deeply informed by his life journey, mapping both real and imagined landscapes of the subconscious. His signature projection of childlike naïveté permeates his canvases, where an assembly of playful and mischievous characters come to life—projections of the purest form of creative expression. This whimsical spirit, however, is tempered by a sense of cynical humor. Irony, satire, and self-deprecation are integral tools in his critique of modern life, exposing its hypocrisy and shallowness while simultaneously striving to understand and depict these realities from his own perspective. 

Rhomberg's engagement with figuration reflects his commitment to honesty in his creative process. While avoiding the vast possibilities of conceptualism, he finds truth within the image itself. The medium of painting, though central, is not exclusive. Rhomberg’s exploration of textiles, ceramics, and printmaking allows him to maintain a sense of curiosity and playfulness. These forays into other mediums refresh his perspective, breaking the monotony and reinvigorating his approach to painting. For him, art is a constant exploration, where shifting between different forms fosters inspiration and informs the evolution of his work.

Despite the playfulness of his imagery, Rhomberg’s process is one of exploration and gradual revelation. When beginning a new painting, he often starts with an initial idea, but the destination becomes clearer through the act of creation. As his work develops, Rhomberg looks to ask essential questions: what drives human happiness, and why do we subscribe to societal standards? The final piece encapsulates the feelings and experiences from that period in a womb of hidden cynicism, only defining its meaning once complete. Though simultaneously Rhomberg leaves space for viewers to read his work on their own terms. Inviting a plurality of interpretations, his paintings act as mirrors that reflect the viewer's own journey of self-exploration and discovery.