Paul Robinson, also known as LUAP, is a British contemporary artist working across various mediums including; painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture.
Promoting positive mental health and wellbeing
Robinson embarked on improving his mental health and wellbeing over a decade ago after continually feeling a deepening sense of loneliness and depression.
During therapy, Robinson recalled a happy memory from his childhood of a pink teddy bear from a fun day out at the theme park with his parents and brother.
Robinson discovered the bear character during Cognitive-Behavioural-therapy, it emerged as a memory and became a symbol of positive reinforcement and recovery.
For Robinson, the bear “wasn’t hiding in a corner and running away from things, it was really about just standing out and being strong. They were all qualities I wanted to draw on to improve myself. It was all about self-improvement.”
This period of reflection and growth gave rise to The Pink Bear as a visually striking and positive way of navigating his sometimes conflicted internal voice.
Robinson explores existential concepts within his artwork through the ongoing narrative of the come-to-life teddy bear, The Pink Bear. The Pink Bear is placed in the real world acting as a metaphor for discovery and exploration, existing between reality and make-believe, innocence and corruption, hope and fear.
Call to adventure
In 2015, Robinson climbed the four highest peaks of the Altas mountains for charity.
The sense of freedom and positive energy he felt from this adventure was a pivotal moment in his life and artwork.
Travel was then an unconscious therapy, but now a conscious one, as Robinson seeks adventure and discovery as a way of maintaining a balance in his life.
The artist does not use photoshop to composite The Pink Bear into the scenes, he instead carries all of his equipment on his back often going to extreme lengths to find unique places for his compositions, trekking through varying environments, terrains and weather conditions.
He believes that endurance and seeking adventure (which has lead him to some very remote locations around the world) is an essential part of making his artwork.
He hopes that his work will both inspire and delight, and encourage others to explore and conserve our beautiful yet fragile world.
The next chapter – Mongolia
Approaching 40 he is currently on his most ambitious trip to date in Mongolia.
His trip has required intensive physical training as well as learning new skills as he will be travelling for 10 days on horseback through quite literally one of the most remote and least hospitable places on Earth.
The expedition will be led by Megan Hine, a British survival consultant and adventurer.
Whilst in Mongolia Robinson will be photographing The Pink Bear riding horseback with the golden eagles in the isolated terrains of the Altai region.
He will be living as the nomadic people have for generations, sleeping under the stars around an open fire in the wilderness.
The Art
The strong juxtaposition of the human-sized Pink Bear, against the remote Mongolian landscape, combines the bold and colourful elements of pop art with the dramatic romanticism of landscape painting.
This marriage of traditional culture and popular culture highlights that the two both have a place in our world and can exist side by side if they can find balance.
Exhibition
LUAP has exhibited alongside internationally renowned artists and created bespoke artworks for exclusive Member Clubs. He also works with charities to raise money. A Pink Bear print recently sold for three times the listed price at Christie’s.
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All photo credits: LUAP
