John John Jesse is a mixed media artist who draws inspiration from his punk rock beginnings as the bass player in seminal New York City crust punk band Nausea. Since the dissolution of Nausea, John John Jesse went on to show in countless galleries around the world as well as find his work featured in the pages of magazines like Juxtapoz, Rolling Stone and many more. Fresh off of his recent show at Opera Gallery
A voracious autodidact, John John Jesse began his career by painting posters, flyers and record sleeves for punk rock bands at the age of 14. Born and raised in New York Cityʼs Lower East Side, Jesse was a founding member of the influential punk band Nausea.
"Punk rock was the world in which I entered as a teenager because I didn't fit in anywhere. Not at school, not with friends, and not with my family. Back in the 80ʼs we were all serious misfits who didn't belong. We were angry, political, idealistic, drunk and proud. Basically punk rock music goes beyond the realms of just being a music scene. Itʼs my world and honestly itʼs all iʼve known and where i fit in.” Jesse said.
These words also mark John John Jesseʼs career as a painter. He embodies the New York City punk rock lifestyle and he shares this through his paintings. His uniquely styled drawings laid the ground work that transformed him into a painter. Later on his style evolved into a distinct artistic language, concentrating on obsessive details, combined with true life images birthed from his experiences. Vivid colors built up in translucent layers of gouache, graphite, ink, spray paint and acrylic, hand painted on wooden panels and framed in vintage baroque frames.
" I painted this piece in 2012 at my home studio in New Hope, Pennsylvania. It was made with gouache, graphite, ink, acrylic and spray paint on thick wood birch panels. It was a part of my recent show "The World of John John Jesse" at Opera Gallery. The Heath Ledger Joker Cat is the opiate dealer as you can see. My work is my autobiography and it is an interpretation of my life long battle with addiction. The good news is I am 13 years clean and sober." - John John Jesse
Super Villains is a 36 x 27 Inches Archival Pigment Print on 330gsm Fine Art Paper with a signed and numbered edition of 40
On sale Thursday at NOON EDT at 1xRUN.com
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