John Widman "Cruel Library"

Gallery Sora

Finished

Artists

John Widman

This exhibition of New York based artist John Widman (born 1972) is his first solo exhibition in Japan. On show are 12 paintings.
In his new paintings of books and records, he depicts both moments in which you foresee inevitable bad luck and moments of dream-like quiet. The books and records in these works are objects which he has collected over a long period of time or have been given to him as presents by his friends and family.
By painstakingly painting in the titles, authors and publishing companies on the books - based on scenarios Widman has devised himself - he addresses issues of collecting, organizing, reorganizing, control and fear.
While on the one hand actual still-lives are the subject of his work, he is also portraying an imaginary world inspired by various words and photographic illustrations taken from books. The objects, faint in colour, appear as catalysts for a dreamlike place which resides in complete eternity inside the painting.

Schedule

Mar 31 (Fri) 2006-Apr 28 (Fri) 2006