Biography

„When I paint, I am water.

Water is impatient “

Istepan Obsidian Goekbas is of Armenian descent and born 1984 in Münsterlingen, Switzerland.

He discovered his creative passion when he was still a child. After completing his hairdresser apprenticeship, he relocated to Zurich. Through the art of hairstyling, his creativity found an expression, what in turn did not go unnoticed. Besides his work as a hairdresser, Istepan was a sought-after stylist at various photo shootings and international shows.

Under the guidance of James Nicholson, Istepan qualified for Platinum Key on the Kevin Murphy International Team and was an integral part of the Berliner Alternative Fashion Week.

Istepan worked backstage for many independent labels and show designers such as Freak Boutique London, Maison Mason, ZL by ZLISM as well as Patricia Field, the stylist of the known TV Series “Sex and the City”.

Under the guidance of Christian Eberhard, he was booked backstage for the Italian fashion label Drome with the Mr. Smith Global Team at the official Fashion Week 2018, in Paris. During the same year he was also engaged backstage at the Milan Fashion Week at the side of session Stylist Paolo Soffiatti for the Parisian Label Alto.

At the end of 2018 Istepan rediscovered his passion for painting. Inspired and propelled from his past, he searched for a new way to tell his story and found it by reconnecting to his childhood. A series of portraits has emerged from this, drawn with carbon, Edding Marker & Acrylic. Istepan has a connection to each of the portraits. By processing his feelings, a sense of freedom then allows the transfer of his emotions into the vivid paintings. It was October 2019, in Zurich, when his first art exhibition ended in a great success. In 2020 a row of events followed as Live Paintings.

2021 Exhibition at Mads International Art Gallery in Milan Italy. 2021 Exhibition at Swiss Art Expo in Zurich Switzerland. 2021 Collaboration wit The Blossom Alley, Lucerne Switzerland. 2022 Exhibition at the Interior Design Company, Zürich Switzerland. 2022 Meeting HONEY DIJON for the portrait, represented by HAUS DER KALLISTIK. 2022 Published at Nonamecollective Gallery, London UK.

He states that his artwork is seasonally balanced. He paints a series for Spring & Summer and Fall & Winter that make a story. Depending on the time we are in he uses different color- and mix techniques. Thereby his work is in constant change. He mostly paints with acrylics on canvas.

His youngest Series is called “ ONYX ULTRAVOX „

Contact E-mail: [email protected] or Instagram: amore.istepan.obsidian