Artist Statement
My motivation for painting what I paint is a conviction that we are not tied to the status quo, limited perceptions and rigid dogmas of how to keep the ‘story’ going. This story normalises these uncertain times we live in- riddled with risk, violence and multiple crises that play out in the external world as well as internally – in our minds and hearts.
For as long as I have been painting I have been keeping record of the times we live in, as well as commenting on them. My practice is a form of chronicling which combines playful imagination and improvisation with form and colour.
With time this practice has been driven by self study-specifically in the areas of geopolitics and economics, history and religion, science and technology, environment and current events. A broad knowledge base has helped shape my critical thinking skills. Being critical as an artist is essential- it is a strategy and a method that not only serves to chronicle the times but also to make meaning of it. It has helped me seek truth and think deeper about what I want to paint, question my identity as an artist and broadly, interrogate the role of art in these times.
If the times change- so too must art, and so too must I. It is a strongly held personal belief that my art should have an honest relationship with reality. This view is very much linked to human relationships and human psychology because our capacity for self-delusion can be extreme. Art should provoke deeper thought because if it fails to do so we inevitably find that societal delusions, distractions and denial spills over into the kind of art that we create and consume.
Yet another thing to keep us trapped in inertia. Art and artists have the privilege of being truthful- it does not have to keep the story going. I believe that we can only act wisely and improve society if we reflect on how we value ourselves and very importantly, the other. On content: the paintings I produce are clear and unambiguous with regards to the content. Although it may require time and attention from the viewer to investigate the layers of meaning- connecting parts to the whole.
On Form: the vivid colours reflect my love for improvisation. My stable and structured compositions – evidenced by way of motifs of lines, geometrical shapes and solid planes of colour reflects my preference for reason, clarity and order amidst the turbulence of our times. As an oil painter: I strive to bring something that is distinctly individual and fresh to the long-respected art form of oil painting. I have developed a style so that my interests, concerns and aesthetic sensibilities may all be expressed on the canvas.
John Adam Barrow