50 x 40 cm, Oil on Linen, 2025
Charlie Roberts is a contemporary American artist whose work draws on the rich traditions of European art history and the vibrant energy of hip-hop culture. In his Oslo studio, Roberts paints to a dedicated hip-hop soundtrack, featuring artists such as Lil Wayne and Rick Ross, allowing their rhythm and attitude to influence his process as deeply as the works of his artistic heroes, Pieter Bruegel and Jan van Eyck.
This unique fusion of Renaissance-inspired technique and modern music results in paintings charged with energy, precision, and a distinct personal style. His finely controlled, flowing lines define the contours of female figures, producing a seductive yet distorted realism. These striking women—portrayed with boldness, wit, and irreverence—capture hip-hop culture’s power to project an illusion of extravagant living.
Born in 1984 in Kansas, USA, Roberts studied at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in Canada and the University of Kansas in the USA. Today, he lives and works in Oslo, Norway, continuing to create figurative paintings that bridge centuries of visual culture.
