Written by Nicole Gaudier
A statement from Jason John:
“My interest as an artist is related to how people build personal identity in relation to personal memory and his/her social world. The situation the individual has experienced can drastically alter the shape of a person’s memory and furthermore, a person’s identity and social perception. As a painter, I represent figures trapped in an environment of uneasiness and flux. Some or all of the figures in my paintings are partially concealed by a veil or mask. Partially concealing the identity of an individual(s) takes away the personal relationship viewers would expect from represented individuals. Each character in my paintings has become one with their environment and can evolve toward empowerment or devolve into personal displacement and loss of identity.
I thought this exhibition would be a great opportunity for me to explore new veins in my work. I really wanted to use my piece for “Our Shared Past” as an experimental process and try and perform processes on my work that I would not be as bold to do in my regular body of work. I have a few students in the show, and I also wanted to exhibit alongside them.”
Jason John, With the Donkey, 2013, from the film still Donkey, Oil on canvas.
Jason John’s work With the Donkey, will be in the Our Shared Past exhibition, on view in the Stein Gallery from December 17, 2013 to May 25, 2014.
There will be artist appearances at the Stein Gallery January through April. Each Saturday, artists form the exhibition will be in the Gallery from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Others will make appearances throughout the day on Weaver Free Saturdays (the first of each month), and on Tuesday evenings during the exhibition.
