John Grande’s art comes from the culture and the history of art and the spirit of our times. His work with its vibrant colors, serrated juxtapositions, multiple dimensions and copious energetic ideas is set apart by the unexpected — while speaking to everybody: “It’s about the people, about us, the human race". Each piece is unique, constructing and disentangling popular and contemporary culture derived from today’s multi-media world, as well as transforming and uniquely weaving high-end symbols and icons immersed in today’s lifestyle using industrial mediums in the process. Nothing is off limits: everything is subject to his playful visualization of our society at large.
The current solo exhibition includes selected paintings from the series Amalgams and a painted sculpture from the series Once Upon a Time in Brooklyn. Some of the retrospective work was produced in Florida, where John once had his studio.
Grande's kinetic art captures the dynamic of busy city streets and contemplation of old posters and elements of Pop Art and street advertisement. In the frenetic environment created by growth in technology and saturation of marketing, many ignore their surroundings while walking through the constantly changing streets. John Grande exhibits the messages of the metropolis, hidden in plain sight, through the lens of his paintbrush. He gives a platform to these overlooked narratives by presenting the compositional quality of worn urban advertisements layering the city’s free market frenzy. By capturing transient moments, Grande’s artworks explore the language advertisements have with one another and give context to their time.
The theme of the current show is: "there's no meaning to any of "this", referring to any of the imagery presented. The artist’s intention was not to reveal all the meaning of his work but rather keep it open, like glass. You may find your own meaning or no meaning at all. There is a sense of non-attachment - Grande doesn’t bring anything personal into his work, he acts as a visual journalist channeling his mind's flow with a paintbrush into affixing his reality. Representational images become abstracted by layering on top of layering with the brush strokes, different images and spray paint; they become deconstructed which leads to abstraction. More resolved in a representational form. There’s No Meaning to Any of This is suggested to use your own interpretation to the visual narrative Grande paints on the repurposed and structured wooden boards and found material. Grande's art is not directive: it is not meant to highlight any specific idea or suggest a trajectory of thought. Viewers are, as always, on their own.
From left to right:
Go Incognito (2018)
Follow My Way (2018)
Kalopsia (2021)
There's No Meaning to Any of This (2018)
Oh Sweet Nuthin' (2019)
Pretty Broken Flowers (2018)
Are You The Fire or Just Another Flame (2018)
Diamond in the Rough (2019)
Don't Get Any Big Ideas (2018)
In the middle:
Great Expectations (2019)
The exhibition is available for the public view in the heart of Manhattan, one block west of Times Square on the second level of the main corridor of The Port Authority of NY&NJ Midtown Bus Terminal at 625 8th Ave.
Now and through the end of January, 2024.
