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John John Jesse (American, b.1969)Punk rocker, and former Catholic School boy of 8 years, John John's work reflects the gravitation and trials of those two opposites.
Born in New York City's Lower East Side, John John first gained notoriety as the founding member and bassist of the legendary influential political punk band Nausea. Nausea toured the D.I.Y. punk circuit all over the United States and Europe in the late 80's and early 90's, and released an LP and various 7" singles. Though since disbanded, to this day they still maintain a loyal following, and have influenced the next generation of the genre.
Having left school and home at 15 years old, equipped with no formal art training, he began doing posters, flyer art, and record sleeves for bands, and organizations like Agnostic Front, Destroy, and the Squat or Rot record label, as well as Nausea. His unique style during this, "Black & White" period has been recognized on everything from Downtown New York light poles and t-shirts, to "Baby Demonica", his first published work of pen and ink drawings with Sirius in 2002 with limericks by Jesse, and Howie Pyro. This series of drawings laid the ground work for his distinct flair towards obsessive details, seductive women, (so gracefully rendered), and subjects that he has admitted are, "the angels and demons that have lived in my head."
His first series of color works appear as the Demonica Erotica series. He delves further into not only a mastery of various media, but a style that approaches what many have called, Neo-Art Nouveau on acid. Most of the works contain solitary figures set against crisp, smoky backgrounds. A depiction of those who seem lost in a world of pain capture our attention, first with their innocence, and then with the bad habits they seem to have plummeted themselves into.
Next we become totally fascinated with "Catholica Erotica", his first exhibition with Art @ Large in New York City. Very autobiographical in nature, and steeped in portrayals of self-destruction, substance abuse, and mockery of catholic values. Now John John shows his experiences with the hypocrisy of the church and his obsessions with the catholic school girl, who, has much naughtiness to experience. His subversive use of catholic iconography is set within narrow vertical spaces, much like the church interiors he was taught in. We get glimpses of behind the scenes participation with peers and what the oppressed youth stumbles into. Further technique in delicate misty surreal backgrounds, masterfully executed with a spray can.
Now with Punk Electrique, John John gives us more of the anarchy of youth. A portrayal of class war struggle, street anarchism, and his past teenage destructive punk rock lifestyle. A heroic fight from the gutter of the streets of the 80's Lower East Side, to the triumph of post-addicted street youth.
His ever present attention to detail has certainly become his signature style. The paintings are framed in various woods and metals, both vintage and elaborate moldings sometimes refinished by John John. The models delineation, facial expressions, their clothing and toys, all reflect the artist's pronounced attitude of familiar experiences. Vivid color, built up in translucent layers of colored pencil, gouache, embellished with gold leaf enamel, erupts alongside finely rendered ink drawing and mists of paint.
With increasing volume, small portraits of young rebellious girls and boys, or elaborate dream-like narratives of demons and angst amidst inner & outer destructive natures, and experimentation with sexual discoveries. The same old tale of "No Future" is questioned with the addicted, political and lovelorn rising from the bottom of society to finally being heard.
John John Jesse's amount of energy, precision, idol worship and ceremony, alongside sub conscience delight and fear, gives us an imagery with all it's beauty and defiance. What innocence should be, and what it tragically often becomes, with conviction that can visually speak to generations. He does this with such obsessive detail and flair for originality. To show us that the only hope beyond the tragedy of life, is the fact that he has survived it with his art.
John John Jesse has exhibited with: CBGB 313 Gallery, Bullet Space, Museum of Sex, Fuse Gallery, all in New York, Roq La Rue Gallery in Seattle, Wild Seduction in Miami, Perihelion Arts in Phoenix, Copro/Nason in Culver City California, and is represented exclusively by Art @ Large, New York City.
John John Jesse has had interview's, or reproductions, published in: Museums New York, Juxtapoz, High Times, New York Waste, Tear Magazine, Destroy All Monthly, Vampyre Magazine, Fetish, Swank, The Aquarian Weekly. He has a book forthcoming of his collected works.
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