Ron Zakrin

We are excited to welcome back Detroit artist Ron Zakrin as he returns with his latest painting, which was finished just a few weeks ago: Dear Diary. Original starting out as a figure study of his significant other, this piece is a slight continuation of his recent exhibition "Still Life Drum Machine". With this piece Zakrin continues with some of the styles and themes of "Still Life" but this time has turned his focus to the contemplative female form ready to break free.

"This piece started as a figure study of my girlfriend, and then it turned into a war between pink and blue. From there the piece evolved into a good girl gone bad. She's writing in her diary that she was done "baking cupcakes." The original painting is acrylic on wood panel, and while I was painting I found this new white paint that I just love. It is a little bit thinner than the paint I had been using before and it allowed me to get the perfect texture and color on the shag rug. " - Ron Zakrin

"I was born at Hutzel Hospital in Detroit. As a kid I wanted to become either an artist, an astronaut, or a master of Kung Fu, roaming the world and using my swift fury to thwart the rising tide of evil. I became an artist as a young man and never looked back." - Ron Zakrin

Ron Zakrin has been an ever present creative force in Detroit since the mid nineties, when he emerged on to the underground electronic music set with paintings that provided a visual counterpart to the Detroit sound that was taking the world by storm. Since those early days Ron's work has expanded in scope and scale; no longer strictly focused on man and his relationship with technology, Zakrin probes the veins of society, and explores the nature of man, love, and loss. Zakrin lives in Detroit Michigan, where he was born and works daily.

In parallel to his visual art, Zakrin is also a recording artist under the name Goudron. First appearing on the on the legendary Detroit label Ersatz Audio in 2002 with the EP "Horses and Chariots", and an EP and LP in 2004, "Civil Symmetry" and "Raw Voltage", Zakrin moved to the equally influential Interdimensional Transmissions label after the Ersatz label closed shop. 2007 marked the beginning of this new partnership with the release of the EP "Stiletto", with more projects in the pipeline.

Zakrin puts his modified circuitry to work along with vintage analog synthesizers to produce a musical journey through the post apocalypse, gliding seamlessly from electropunk anthems at home both on the dancefloor and behind the wheel, to a more introspective and melodic reflection of life, love, and loss.

Having toured throughout North America and performing for enthusiastic crowds on both sides of the border, Goudron has a respectable following in the electronic music audience both in North America and Europe.