Adriaan Schipper

Tiko Kerr was born and raised in Alberta. He has lived abroad and travelled extensively before returning to Canada to make his new home in Vancouver.

Kerr's deep reverence of the West Coast is revealed in his many vibrant paintings of its urban landmarks and rich natural landscape. Although the subject matter for his art could be considered 'familiar,' his unique vision and visceral approach transports the viewer away from commonality into a transcendental realm. Kerr says, “My attempts to invigorate the representative object stem from the idea that there is much mystery and wonder in familiar things we may dismiss as ordinary. All things have spirit and rhythm.”

In describing his work, Doris Shadbolt states that Kerr is less concerned with the physical structure of his subjects and more involved with “the amalgam of sensory data which emanates from them in his perception.” She follows by stating that Kerr's way of seeing things is “in the spirit of Van Gogh and Soutine,” and that his images have a “striking spectral beauty, reminiscent of the German-Swiss artist Arnold Bocklin.

Since 1981, Kerr has produced a number of solo exhibits of both national and international scope, as well as participated in many group exhibitions and cultural collaborations. He has completed many commissions and his work is included in numerous corporate collections. As an activist, Kerr has used his artistic production to raise awareness and fundraise for a variety of HIV/AIDS related organizations.