Hello Friends of Nielsen! Next up in our gallery we have 16 new pieces by San Francisco artist Jon Stich. People You May Know is Jon's first solo show in seven years featuring new works on canvas, panel, and paper.
"My paintings tell a story of human existence amid conflict, joy among confusion, and the struggle to come to terms with a troubled past. I like to think of each painting as a theater stage. The audience can see things the performers cannot. I’m inspired by the two lives we live in modern culture: online life learns of the world’s direness with each push notification, while life beyond the phone must carry out a daily routine despite this knowledge. My work tries to place both lives in the same frame, with the result becoming a cocktail of historical periods and emotions, and the land becoming the main character."
"For this show, the phrase “People You May Know” comes from the algorithmic conclusion a social media company will make when suggesting who you should connect with on their platform. Like any robotic performance, these assumptions of who to follow and what you should watch can be clumsy. At their core, these platforms are truly pitching the idea of celebrity, which is what I find most interesting. "
Jon's work is created in rich, vibrant colors and loose but purposeful brush strokes. In Jon’s own words, ‘My paintings tell a story of human existence amid conflict, joy among confusion, and the struggle to come to terms with a troubled past.” It’s easy to engage in these paintings as they are so comfortably casual and familiar. Further exploration allows the viewer to identify subtleties not obvious at first, but give the pieces a keen sense of whimsy. From the complex to the humble, Jon’s work has a variety and depth that shows his mastery over the human form and the surroundings that hold each figure in place.
"For this show, the phrase “People You May Know” comes from the algorithmic conclusion a social media company will make when suggesting who you should connect with on their platform. Like any robotic performance, these assumptions of who to follow and what you should watch can be clumsy. At their core, these platforms are truly pitching the idea of celebrity, which is what I find most interesting."
"Though I’ve done plenty of portraiture in my career, with one exception, I doubt you’ll recognize any of the other figures in this show. Regardless of a figure's notoriety, I aim to give the subject equal attention and light. But feel free to tell me who any of these people remind you of."
"My work was recently on display at the de Young Open in 2023. As a commercial artist, my clients include Chronicle Books, Subpop Records, Time Magazine, the NFL, Adult Swim, Sierra Club, CNN, The Washington Post, MTV, and Fremont Bank. I have taught in the illustration program at CCA for the past decade, and at UC Berkeley Extension since 2011. My studio is at Bridge Studio Collective in San Francisco."
Our reception for Jon will be held Saturday, October 12th from 6:30pm to 9:00pm. We look forward to seeing you!
People You May Know will run through November 26th, 2024.
Nielsen Arts is located at 1545 Solano Ave. in Berkeley, Ca.
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