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Chris Cran

$13,500.00
SOLD

Chris Cran
Boxer
2010’s
Acrylic on canvas
Framed 45.5 x 40 in

Executed in the 2010s, Boxer is a compelling example of Chris Cran’s sophisticated inquiry into human perception, optical illusion, and pop iconology. In this striking acrylic canvas, Cran explores the kinetic energy of a figure in motion, employing his hallmark blend of graphic silhouette, halftone screen patterns, and subtle surface texture. The composition operates on a dual plane: viewed from a distance, the imagery coalesces into a dramatic, atmospheric portrait of a boxer, while up close, the surface dissolves into a shimmering, abstract grid of paint that playfully challenges the viewer's eye.

Recently appointed to the Order of Canada, Chris Cran is recognized as one of the most inventive, original, and influential contemporary painters in the country. Based in Calgary for over five decades, Cran has built a national reputation for bridging Pop art, Conceptual art, and optical painting with sharp wit and intellectual rigor. Boxer showcases his mature mastery of pictorial light and shadow, transforming popular media imagery into a captivating, multi-layered visual experience.

A graduate and longtime educator at the Alberta University of the Arts (formerly ACA), Cran first gained widespread fame in the 1980s with his celebrated Self-Portrait series. In 2016, the National Gallery of Canada honored his career with a major solo retrospective, Sincerely Yours, featuring over 130 works. His appointment to the Order of Canada highlights his immense legacy as a master artist, dedicated mentor, and vital builder of Canada’s cultural landscape.

Major Accolades & Honors:

  • Appointed Member of the Order of Canada (C.M., 2026)

  • Major National Retrospective, Sincerely Yours, National Gallery of Canada (2016)

  • Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (R.C.A.)

  • Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (2022)

  • Honorary Master of Fine Arts, Alberta University of the Arts (2021)

  • Doug & Lois Mitchell Outstanding Calgary Artist Award (2014)

Selected Permanent Collections:

  • National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, ON)

  • Montreal Museum of Fine Arts / Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal (Montreal, QC)

  • Art Gallery of Alberta (Edmonton, AB)

  • Glenbow Museum (Calgary, AB)

  • Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary (Calgary, AB)

  • Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (Halifax, NS)

  • McMaster Museum of Art (Hamilton, ON)

  • Canada Council Art Bank (Ottawa, ON)

Chris Cran
Boxer
2010’s
Acrylic on canvas
Framed 45.5 x 40 in

Executed in the 2010s, Boxer is a compelling example of Chris Cran’s sophisticated inquiry into human perception, optical illusion, and pop iconology. In this striking acrylic canvas, Cran explores the kinetic energy of a figure in motion, employing his hallmark blend of graphic silhouette, halftone screen patterns, and subtle surface texture. The composition operates on a dual plane: viewed from a distance, the imagery coalesces into a dramatic, atmospheric portrait of a boxer, while up close, the surface dissolves into a shimmering, abstract grid of paint that playfully challenges the viewer's eye.

Recently appointed to the Order of Canada, Chris Cran is recognized as one of the most inventive, original, and influential contemporary painters in the country. Based in Calgary for over five decades, Cran has built a national reputation for bridging Pop art, Conceptual art, and optical painting with sharp wit and intellectual rigor. Boxer showcases his mature mastery of pictorial light and shadow, transforming popular media imagery into a captivating, multi-layered visual experience.

A graduate and longtime educator at the Alberta University of the Arts (formerly ACA), Cran first gained widespread fame in the 1980s with his celebrated Self-Portrait series. In 2016, the National Gallery of Canada honored his career with a major solo retrospective, Sincerely Yours, featuring over 130 works. His appointment to the Order of Canada highlights his immense legacy as a master artist, dedicated mentor, and vital builder of Canada’s cultural landscape.

Major Accolades & Honors:

  • Appointed Member of the Order of Canada (C.M., 2026)

  • Major National Retrospective, Sincerely Yours, National Gallery of Canada (2016)

  • Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (R.C.A.)

  • Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (2022)

  • Honorary Master of Fine Arts, Alberta University of the Arts (2021)

  • Doug & Lois Mitchell Outstanding Calgary Artist Award (2014)

Selected Permanent Collections:

  • National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, ON)

  • Montreal Museum of Fine Arts / Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal (Montreal, QC)

  • Art Gallery of Alberta (Edmonton, AB)

  • Glenbow Museum (Calgary, AB)

  • Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary (Calgary, AB)

  • Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (Halifax, NS)

  • McMaster Museum of Art (Hamilton, ON)

  • Canada Council Art Bank (Ottawa, ON)

Chris Cran's "Boxer," currently available at ADDITION, is a transfixing study of power and precision. Rendered in cool blues, the boxer's form is beautifully captured mid-punch, a testament to Cran's mastery of capturing energy and the raw athleticism of the sport.

The painting is further enhanced by vibrant pink stripes, a hallmark of Cran's pop-art style, which optically charge the image and create a dynamic interplay of colour and form. This captivating piece invites the viewer to contemplate the delicate balance between control and chaos, aggression and artistry.

About Chris Cran:

Chris Cran, born in Ocean Falls, British Columbia, is a celebrated Canadian artist known for his innovative exploration of representation and abstraction. A masterful painter with decades of experience, Cran is renowned for his ability to render virtually anything in his chosen medium. After studying at the Kootenay School of Art and the Alberta College of Art and Design where he taught (now retired), Cran has established himself as a leading figure in the Canadian art scene. His work is part of prestigious collections like the National Gallery of Canada, The Nickle Art Museum, and the Art Gallery of Alberta. He has garnered numerous accolades, including the Royal Canadian Geographical Society's Lawrence J. Burpee Medal and the Doug and Lois Mitchell Outstanding Calgary Artist Award.