Tomás Rivas has achieved international attention for his investigations of two and three-dimensional space by combining sculpture and drawing techniques that mimic a specific period of art history. Using drywall, a readily available contemporary construction material, Rivas removes the paper topcoat to reveal a three-dimensional sculptural relief. His work examines space, transformation, and disintegration through the rediscovery of classical architecture in a contemporary environment.

Born in Santiago de Chile in 1975, Rivas studied at Pontificia Universidad Católica in Chile and earned his master’s degree in fine arts from the University of Notre Dame. His work has been featured in several group shows and gallery exhibitions, including most recently Abre-alas 2007 in Rio de Janeiro, Feedback 2007 in Santiago, Conversions in Arlington, VA, and Phantom Floor in Washington, D.C.