RYANBow

RYANbow is a mixed media collage incorporating an old life vest and its imprint on cardboard, structured across two components: a 1.1m x 0.9m squared aluminium dibond frame and a 13m x 1m cardboard panel. The work serves as a memorial to Ryan, a figure I encountered during my time in Ibiza’s transient, freedom-seeking community. Though not a close friend, Ryan and I shared a brotherly bond rooted in humor and sensitivity. He embodied the island’s paradoxes-a soul chasing healing and connection, yet sustaining himself through selling ketamine. Unlike typical dealers, he carried an aura of generosity, often giving drugs freely, as if the transaction pained him. His death was a shock. After a fight with his girlfriend, he swam into the sea at Santa Eularia’s northern shore, disappearing into the horizon. Rescued briefly by a fishing boat, he screamed “NO” before vanishing forever. This work channels his luminous spirit-his joy, fragility, and the fleeting intensity of those who burn brightly but briefly. Through the life vest’s imprint, I seek to preserve his memory, transforming a symbol of survival into a testament to lives lived on the edge. The materials’ raw contrasts-industrial aluminium and weathered cardboard-mirror the tensions between resilience and impermanence that defined Ryan’s story. RYANbow is my act of remembrance: a plea to keep such souls shining.

Created By

Tillmann Lauterbach