Prior to The Wild Within, Koopmans worked as a professional fine art and documentary photographer beginning in 2006.
The images that follow are unaltered photographs of locations around the world, with a particular focus on modern architecture and urban landscapes.
His photography explores surreal architectural forms, complex structures, and megacities, while examining the impacts of hyper-globalization.
31.2 x 23 cm | 12 x 9 in
121 ills | 256 pages Hardback
Publisher: Black Dog Press
Foreword: Marvin Heiferman
RYAN KOOPMANS
Ryan Koopmans (BA, MFA) is a lens-based artist whose practice focuses on the built environment and its relationship with nature and the societies that evolve within it.
Born in Amsterdam in 1986, Koopmans was raised on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver in 2008 and earned a Master of Fine Arts in Photography, Video & Related Media from the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 2012.
His interdisciplinary undergraduate background in Geography, Art History, and Psychology laid the foundation for a lasting fascination with architecture and the communities shaped by it.
While initially considering graduate studies in architecture, he discovered a deeper connection with visual art as a means to explore his curiosities and articulate his conceptual and visual interests.
Koopmans’ work centres on capturing surreal structures within megacities and urban landscapes, employing geometry, repetition, and vibrant colour to express what he describes as “the poetry of form in intriguing settings.”
His practice documents the points at which the natural and human-made worlds converge, a theme explored extensively in his book Vantage, published by Black Dog Press in 2019.
Growing up on the rugged West Coast of Canada has informed his preference for expansive perspectives and a strong sense of scale. Throughout his career, the relationship between nature and the built environment has remained central to his work, whether exploring rapidly transforming cities or the decaying interiors of forgotten towns.
His lens-based artworks are exhibited internationally, featured in publications, and are held in prominent private and institutional collections.
Education
MFA Photography, Video & Related Media
The School of Visual Arts
New York City, USA
2009-2012
Bachelor of Arts (BA) Interdisciplinary Studies
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, Canada
2004-2009
Traditional Technique: Drawing
Emily Carr University of Art & Design
Vancouver, Canada
2008
EXHIBITIONS
Exhibitions
2026
2026 - Dubai, UAE - Solo Exhibition at Leila Heller Gallery
2025
2025 - Dubai, UAE - Solo Exhibition at Leila Heller Gallery
2025 - Abu Dhabi, UAE - Abu Dhabi Art Fair with Leila Heller Gallery
2025 - Amsterdam, The Netherlands - Rosewood Hotel x Nxt Museum
2025 - Mumbai, India - Art Mumbai with Leila Heller Gallery
2025 - Dubai, UAE - Editions Art Fair with Leila Heller Gallery
2025 - Istanbul, Turkey - Contemporary Istanbul Art Fair with Leila Heller Gallery
2025 - Mumbai, India - MASH Art Ball with UNICEF India
2025 - Milan, Italy - Artificial Beauty at Fabbrica Del Vapore
2025 - Milan, Italy - Milan Design Week showcase at Santo Sofia 27
2025 - London, UK - MCube Digital Showcase at Ideaworks London
2025 - Stockholm, Sweden - Showcase at Miss Clara Boutique Hotel
2025 - London, UK - Asprey: Private Showcase for Asprey Studio Mayfair Clients
2025 - London, UK - 'Now Trending' year takeover of Outernet Global
2025 - Hong Kong - 'The Collectors Dinner' during Art Basel Hong Kong with TAEX
2025 - Paris, France - Le Bristol Hotel - Bristol After Dark Featured Artist
2025 - Paris, France - Through Rose-Colored Glasses - Group Show, Artverse Gallery
2025 - Paris, France - Vivid Ordinals Showcase at the Grande halle de la villette
2024
2024 - London, UK - Christie's Post War & Contemporary Art Day Sale Exhibition
2024 - Miami, USA - SCOPE Miami during Art Basel presented by White Walls Gallery
2024 - Miami, USA - The Bitcoin Art Awards: First Prize - Genesis Project of the Year
2024 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Enter Art Fair
2024 - Marfa, Texas - The Wild Within presented by White Walls Gallery
2024 - Durres, Albania - First International Biennale of Contemporary Art
2024 - Montreal, Canada - The Wild Within presented by Suburbs Gallery
2024 - London, UK - Photo London with Leila Heller Gallery
2024 - Nashville, USA - The BitGala at Bitcoin Nashville
2024 - Nashville, USA - Inscribing Atlantis Exhibition
2024 - London, UK - Ideaworks Studio with Digital Art Week London
2024 - Paris, France - Metaversal x Lumen Prize, The Future of Art
2024 - Belgium - 760 screens nationwide by Clear Channel x Artcrush Gallery
2024 - Paris, France - SuperRare Showcase at IHAM Gallery
2024 - Reggio Emilia, Italy - Cabinets of Ether
2023
2023 - Dubai, UAE - Christie's Art Auction House and Exhibition Space
2023 - Dubai, UAE - Luxeverse at Museum of The Future
2023 - Zug, Switzerland - Spice Journeys Exhibition at Unpaired Gallery
2023 - Istanbul, Turkey - NFTIST Digital Art Exhibition at Planeth
2023 - New Delhi, India - MASH Gala with BENNFT Gallery
2023 - Barcelona, Spain - Lezar House Group Exhibition
2023 - Amsterdam, The Netherlands - MET Exhibition at Westergasfabriek
2023 - Los Angeles, USA - Outliers Exhibition at Foundry Gallery by PROOF
2023 - Mumbai, India - Architectural Digest Design Show with BENNFT Gallery
2023 - Seoul, South Korea - Art Innovation Gallery during Frieze Art Fair
2023 - Seoul, South Korea - Exhibition by Trippy Labs with Korea Blockchain Week
2023 - Austin TX, USA - Group Exhibition at Permissionless II Summit
2023 - Boston MA, USA - Pellas Gallery at Boston Blockchain Week
2023 - Stockholm, Sweden - Way Gallery at Epicenter Stockholm
2023 - Tokyo, Japan - Reach For The Future Exhibition
2023 - Cannes, France - Jane Goodall Institute Auction at Cannes Film Festival
2023 - NYC, USA - SuperRare Event at South Street Seaport
2023 - NYC, USA - Unfold x SHILLR exhibition
2023 - NYC, USA - Transient Labs Outliers at Oculus World Trade Center
2023 - NYC, USA - Crypt Gallery x Dream Downtown
2023 - Paris, France - Natively Digital at Sotheby's France
2023 - Boston, USA - Steve Aoki Hiroquest Tour
2022
2022 - Miami, USA - Monolith at SCOPE Miami Art Week
2022 - Miami, USA - Floating Pixels at Miami Art Week
2022 - Miami, USA - Unfold x SHILLR exhibition at Miami Art Week
2022 - Montreal, Canada - SuperRare & 0x Society - The Wild Within
2022 - Prague, Czech Republic - NFCastle at House of Lobkowicz
2022 - Los Angeles, USA - ‘Frame of Mind, State of Time, Life Online’
2022 - Beijing, China - Yongle Auction Spring 2022
2022 - NYC, USA - MODA presents A Question For Time exhibition
2022 - NYC, USA - SuperRare Gallery x Jonathan Little exhibition
2022 - NYC, USA - Ben Skaar Curation at the South Street Seaport
2022 - NYC, USA - Time Square Showcase by NFT NYC
2022 - NYC, USA - The Pyramid Screen by NFTSea
2022 - Venice, Italy - Decentral Art Pavilion
2022 - NYC, USA - Crypt Gallery x Dream Downtown
2022 - Miami, USA - Blackdove Gallery at BTC Miami
2022 - Liverpool, UK - NFT Liverpool
2022 - Stockholm, Sweden - Way Gallery
2022 - New York, USA - SuperRare Monolith
2022 - Stockholm, Sweden - OtherLands NFT Festival
2021
2021 - Montreal, Canada - 0x Society
2021 - Calgary, Canada - Photoville 'The Fence'
2021 - Tokyo, Japan - NEO Shibuya Screen
2021 - Miami, USA - SuperRare Monolith
2021 - Miami, USA - The Temporal Gallery at Flagler Street
2021 - Miami, USA - MoDa The Wall at Factory Town
2021 - Dubai, UAE - WOW Summit
EXHIBITIONS CONT.
Early Exhibitions
2020
VANTAGE Hardback Book: 256 pages Book Launch: Taverna Brillo, Stockholm, Sweden Publisher: Black Dog Press - January 6, 2020
Photoville - The Fence 2020 Sanatorium Regional Showcase: Western Canada Calgary, Alberta
2018
Edition III India Architecture Dialogue 2018 Exhibition: Moments In Architecture Amity University, Gurugram, India: September 1-30, 2018
Edition II India Architecture Dialogue 2018 Exhibition: Moments In Architecture Red Architects, Mumbai, India: July 31 - August 13, 2018
Solo Exhibition Sanatorium: Tskaltubo Galerie Konstart, Stockholm, Sweden: June 20, 2018
Four Freedoms Park Capture Your Freedom – Group Exhibition Roosevelt Island, NYC, USA: June 15 - onwards 2018
India Architecture Dialogue 2018 Exhibition: Moments In Architecture Qutb Complex, Delhi, India: February 9-28, 2018
2017
Solo Public Exhibition Standard Vision Labs 4 Story Screen - Downtown LA Los Angeles, USA: August 13-21, 2017
PHI Contemporary Photography Festival Traveling Without Moving BASE Milano Milan, Italy: June 2-4, 2017
2016
Unearth X Paradise Now Canon NL Presents: Ryan Koopmans & Luca Marziale De Merkenwinkel Gallery Amsterdam: September 26 - October 2, 2016
2015
Green River Project Photo Show Group Exhibition Hillside, New York: November 14, 2015
2014
Andrew Krepps Gallery Darren Bader curated Group Exhibition NYC: May 15 – June 21, 2014
2013
Filter Photo Festival Mapping: borders, bodies, memories Group Exhibition David Weinberg Gallery Chicago: September 19 – October 6, 2013
Modern Nature Gallery Paradise Now: Solo Exhibition Los Angeles: April 27 – July 27, 2013
2012
UNICEF Next Generation 3rd Annual Photo Benefit R 20th Century Gallery New York City: May 30, 2012
New York Photo Festival Invitational Powerhouse Arena New York City: May 16 – May 20, 2012
SVA MFA Thesis Exhibition Paradise Now: hardcover artist book 110 x 74 cm archival inkjet prints Visual Arts Gallery New York City: June 2012
PRESS
Select Press
Vogue Magazine: Arabia - Exhibition Feature
GQ Middle East: The Best Art Exhibitions to Visit This December
Arab News: ‘The Wild Within’ sees artists breathe new life into Mideast buildings
The National: Exhibition envisions UAE architecture reclaimed by nature
BOTTO: The First Botto-Human Collaborative Artwork
The Art Newspaper - From Ownership to Ordinals
Manifold: Ryan Koopmans on Crafting Enduring Digital Art
Opensea: In Conversation with Ryan Koopmans & Alice Wexell
Elle Magazine India: An Evening of Art and Advocacy
Decrypt - Dynamic Ordinals Artwork Will Be First Ever Auctioned at Christie's
Crypto News - Christie's Sells it's First Bitcoin Ordinals
Moments in Time: AOI Featured Artist
Bitcoin Magazine - An Interview Regarding 'The Origin' Inscription Artwork
Cool Hunting Highlights Photo London 2024
WePresent by WeTransfer - The Duo Digitally Reviving Abandoned Buildings
Design Boom - The Enchanted Hour: A Hypnotic Cuckoo Clock
Department of Cultural & Environmental Heritage at the University of Milan
Visual Atelier 8 - A Mesmerizing Artwork Merging Time & Imagination
The Inspiration Grid - The Enchanted Hour: Artwork interacts with time of day
NFT NOW - ‘The Enchanted Hour’: Architectural Marvel Captured Onchain
SuperRare Magazine - Curated Conversations: Botto with Ryan Koopmans
HypeMoon by HypeBeast - 'Sanctuary' - Immersive Artwork
Visual Atelier 8 - 'Sanctuary' - A Meditative Digital Artwork
I See You Gallery - Interview with Ryan Koopmans
Condé Nast Traveler - Deserted Soviet Town is Attracting Visitors Through Art
Tabi Labo - Garden Of The Gods
New York Post - Jim Carrey Buys NFT
0x Society - Interview with Ryan Koopmans
Visual Atelier 8 - Surreal Architectural Realms By Ryan Koopmans
Fast Company - These Abandoned Soviet Buildings Got A Gorgeous Makeover
Design Boom - Abandoned Soviet Architecture Digitally Revived
SuperRare Editorial 2021 - The Wild Within
Architectural Digest - Photographer Spent Years Capturing Soviet-Era Spas
Calvert Journal - Home From Home
CNN - The Abandoned Soviet-era Spas A Community Of Refugees Calls Home
GQ Magazine - Inside The City That Time Forgot
WIRED - The Abandoned Soviet Spas Inhabited by Georgian Refugees
PRESS
Podcasts & Audio Interviews
In Conversation with Ryan Koopmans & Lars Seier Christensen at Enter Art Fair, Copenhagen
Panel Discussion: The Future of Art x Lumen Prize in Paris, France
The Future of Art w/ Roger Dickerman: Ryan Koopmans - Architecture, Nature & Long Term Vantage Point
PROMPT3D hosted by SHILLR: Conversation with Ryan Koopmans
NorCal and Shill Season 1 Episode 92: The Wild Within
Botto Talks: From Curation to Collab: Ryan Koopmans & Alice Wexell
Scrapbook - Episode 4: A Conversation with Ryan Koopmans
LECTURES & PANELS
Lectures & Panels
2025 - Dubai, UAE - Solo Exhibition at Leila Heller Gallery
Photography in the Age of AI and Blockchain
Abu Dhabi Art Fair
Abu Dhabi, UAE
November 22, 2025
Digital Art as an Architectural Surface
Panel: Ryan Koopmans, Rebecca Anne Proctor, Leila Heller and Sundar Raman
Leila Heller Gallery
Dubai, UAE
Nov 11, 2025
The Digital Art Shift: Curating, Collecting & Experiencing
Bluesquare NYC Reveal Event
NYC, NY
June 30, 2025
Artist Showcase: Group Exhibition
Artverse x SuperRare
Paris, France
February 12, 2025
Introduction to Art on the Blockchain
Taste Contemporary Gallery
Geneva, Switzerland
January 20, 2025
Introduction to Art on the Blockchain
Fondation Opale
Crans-Montana, Switzerland
January 19, 2025
In Conversation with Lars Seier Christensen & Ryan Koopmans
Enter Art Fair, Copenhagen, August 31, 2024
Presenting The Wild Within with Inscribing Atlantis
Bitcoin Nashville July 24, 2024
Paris, France - Metaversal x Lumen Prize, The Future of Art
Panel: Ryan Koopmans, Erick ‘SnowFro’ Calderon, Paloma Rodriguez and Matt Balon
February 24, 2024
Presentation: The Wild Within
Private Collector & Investors Dinner, Geneva, Switzerland
November 09, 2023
Mentorship: Ryan Koopmans for Matrix Partners Mentor and Artist Retreat Leader
NYC, NY 2022-2023
Presentation: The Wild Within
0x Society Gallery, Montreal, Canada
October 6, 2022
Presentation: The Wild Within
Elle Magazine Headquarters, Stockholm, Sweden
August 24, 2022
Presentation: The Wild Within
OtherLands Festival, Stockholm, Sweden
March 8, 2022
Presentation: Sanatorium by Ryan Koopmans
Exposure Festival X The Photoville FENCE
February 7, 2021
Public Lecture & Panel: Photography On Assignment
The School of Visual Arts
New York City, USA
September 26, 2017
Presentation of Portfolio
Kazakhstan Fashion Institute - Astana, Kazakhstan
June 3, 2014
Behind The Scenes with Ryan Koopmans
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel - Almaty, Kazakhstan
May 13, 2014
Truth & Photojournalism
Olympic Stadium, Kyiv, Ukraine
March 19, 2014
Documentary Photography and Fashion Week
Kyiv, Ukraine
October 17, 2013
