Giles Ryder’s (Born 1972, Brisbane, Australia) work is preoccupied with abstraction, but his interest is in minimalism. He started life as an artist later than some, having worked as an industrial painter on Brisbane’s Story Bridge for six years before entering art school. The industrial influence, alongside that of the great abstractionists such as Rothko, is visible in his art with glossy, hard surfaces of color evoking ‘car culture’. He also uses neon signage and the reflective surfaces of advertising and consumption, and pared back, pearlescent and glossy striped paintings. All of these require interactivity with the viewer - the position from which the work is seen directly influences its effect. “I see my work as a hybrid between minimalism, abstraction, Op- and Pop Art. My practice includes the intention to develop reductionist concepts (of form, space, line and material), the effects of color (visually, as a signature, and its psychological effects) and the experiential qualities of painting. By developing these concepts I invite the viewer in the space to a contemplative encounter with painting.”