John Phillip Abbott explores the relationship between text and images with a grid-like structure interweaving with words that serve as images above concepts. The construction is visually intense, the structures challenge comprehension and present itself as a puzzle between “reading” and “seeing”. The starting point is the word itself and its meaning as it refers to the artist's past experiences and memories, actualized in words.
The actual process of painting for Abbott may be seen as a journey of gradual detachment from the meaning of the word. Or, put differently, his creative process is a passage: from “reading” to “seeing”. Once completed, the viewer will be invited to follow the same path, only backwards, from “seeing” to “reading”. What will be read remains enigmatic due to the autobiographical nature of the words.
b. 1975, Wausau, Wisconsin, USA
Lives and Works in Silver City, New Mexico, USA
EDUCATION
2007 University of Wisconsin, Madison, M.F.A.
2006 Santa Reparata International School of Art, Florence, Italy
2002 Western New Mexico University, B.F.A.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS (*solo shows marked by asterisk)
2019 *The Zen Paintings, Gleichapel, Paris, France
2018 Power Ts 2018, Pierogi Gallery, New York City, NY
*Desert Flower, COUNTY Gallery, Palm Beach, FL
2017 Under the Paving Stones, Far x Wide, Brooklyn, NY
Small Paintings, COUNTY Gallery, Palm Beach, FL
2016 Group Show, COUNTY Gallery, Palm Beach, FL
Untitled, Pierogi, Miami Beach, FL
*On Any Sunday, Pierogi Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
*Turquoise Sunset, Devening Projects, Chicago, IL
2015 Untitled, Pierogi, Miami Beach, FL
Off the Grid, Pierogi Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Ducks, Minotaur Projects, Los Angeles, CA
(I’d like to suggest) Linger On, Chicago, IL
*Gold Paintings, Calendar-Calendar, Albuquerque, NM
PRTY PPL, Circuit 12, Dallas, TX, curated by Josh Reames
The Two States of W.W., Tiger Strikes Asteroid, Brooklyn, NY, curated by Andrew Prayzner
2014 *I Shall Be Free No. 10, Galerie Sébastien Bertrand, Geneva, Switzerland
Pierogi XX: Twentieth Anniversary Exhibition, Pierogi Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Ducks, Greenpoint Terminal Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, curated by Ryan Travis Christian
Diamonds and Doughnuts, Geoffrey Young Gallery, Great Barrington, MA
This One’s Optimistic: Pincushion, New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT, curated by Cary Smith
Spring Benefit Auction, Novella Gallery, New York City, NY
2013 Cypher, The Shinx, New York City, NY curated by Kari Adelaide and Max Razdow
Eight Ball, Geoffrey Young Gallery, Great Barrington, MA
Sleight of Hand, Brian Morris Gallery, New York, NY, curated by Noah Post
Goddess, Geoffrey Young Gallery, Great Barrington, MA
Reason & Romance, 6b gallery, Elingen, Belgium, curated by Alain Biltereyst
2012 You Were Here, Curating Contemporary, curated by Peter Shear
My Idea of Fun, Ebers Moore, Chicago, IL, curated by Mike Rea
2011 Le Salon Du Dessin Contemporain/ Drawing Now, Paris, France
2010 Access & Paradox, Contemporary Art Fair, Paris, France
Hidden, Galerie Van der Stegen, Paris, France
2009 Je t’aime Skye Boutin, Two person show with Pesce Khete, Galerie Van der Stegen, Paris, France
SLICK Contemporary Art Fair, Paris, France
Home ‘n Gone, Galerie Van der Stegen, Paris, France
Analagous, juried by Lucy Lippard, Runnels Gallery, ENMSU, Portales, NM