artist statement
i erect monuments, construct icons, unveil relics and immortalize the vestiges of an over-stimulated existence. in this absurd contemporary moment the ordinary becomes extraordinary by bringing the unconscious to a visible, palpable form. muted, somber pillars crumble, and constructed images forcefully demand attention while pulling the viewer into a quiet and meditative state.
approached thoughtfully, the neglected and the fleeting evolve to form meaning and elicit purpose. it is the silent pulse of objects reflecting off a viewer that traverses the constraints of time and informs the scope of space.
the overlapping of industrial architecture and nature blurs the point of view and inspires this work. by proceeding with concern for the environment and out of respect for our communities, these pieces reflect on the evolution of art with a consciousness of the future. i strive to create a visible cultural presence based on a reiteration and reflection on our existing surroundings. monochromatic monoliths redefine our relationship to our environment and bring about a conversation of nature and sustainability.
texture, fragility and the fleeting all incorporate to form a monumental image by transforming relics into icons. the images are constructed by aggressively bringing the subtle to the forefront. in this way the absurd post-industrial objects i create respond to their disposers.
in 2009 my studio practice revolved around works on paper, focusing mainly on two series of collages.
the first series, industrialization, deals with the ongoing theme of architecture versus nature, in terms of disposable versus sustainable.
the second collage series is a conceptual biographical series inspired by and dedicated to artist hedda sterne.
all recent images are assembled using recycled materials- the newly formed, reductive images are shaped from oil and acrylic paintings, monotypes, and other discarded paper. newly forged monuments aim to tap into our collective unconscious. the placement of each piece brings forth a meditation on memory and self while reflecting on sustainability and touching on the nuances of the form. these pieces draw attention to the absurdity and lack of meaning in objects, morals and actions, and redefine archetypes of our modern existence to evoke thought on our shared experiences. the process of the creation of these works is reflective of the ultimate imagery and conceptual nature of this art.
my work continues to evolve based on the ideas developed from the recent collage series and focuses on transitioning the work into larger, more complex arrangements. while maintaining an emphasis on meditation on sustainability and the subtle, my practice is shifting more towards process and installation. these larger works begin to rely more heavily on the dialogue between each other and the spatial void in between.
it is a new appreciation and redefinition that shifts the meaning of objects and continues to redevelop the language of our surroundings, bearing in mind that it is not enough to simply bring the unnecessary [disposable] to a conscious level- a shift must come in the form of action against melancholy and its lackluster. what is sustainable in life? in production? what has the most efficacy with the least amount of impact? the essence of what is at stake is monumental. to fully be sustainable we must look at ourselves, our resources, our futures in our present state and in our being. by creating reductive, minimal, conceptual work rooted in process and space, i assert that awareness can be born of meditation and intuition.
john ros, march 2010
selected writing
map/land/water
thoughts on installation
remnant
vs. vernacular
parenthesis
[continuum]
murmur