John J. Richardson “Fragments”

Causey Contemporary

This event has ended.

Industrial detritus found on the streets of Detroit forms the conceptual and formal inspiration for this body of work, in particular the Case Study Series of sculpture. John finds and collects remnants on daily walks near his home and studio in Detroit. The resulting collection of parts, primarily small pieces of metal, rubber, and plastic, are used as models in the creation of sculpture with shifts in scale, materials, color, and composition. The discarded materials are poetically reimagined and given new life, while visual traces of their origins remain embedded within the finished sculpture. The sculptures are often displayed on stands which reflect the aesthetics of workshop and laboratory furniture; spaces of experimentation and invention.

His Interface Series, also on view, consists of woodblock prints in which found industrial shapes are pieced together. The final compositions are based on juxtapositions of interlocking edges with strong positive and negative interplays.

Lastly, his colored pencil drawings are based on repetitive patterns seen in the urban landscape, such as fences and grates. Titled the Industrial Filter, Grid, and Screen Series, the idiosyncrasies of hand-drawn lines provide a contrast to the rigid geometry of the source imagery as invented color heightens the permeable layers depicted. These will also be included in the Fragments exhibition.

The name “junk art” was first coined by British art critic/curator, Lawrence Alloway, in 1961, to describe art made from scrap metal, broken-up machinery, cloth rags, timber, waste paper and other “found material.” Traceable to early 20th century artists such as Picasso, Duchamp and Schwitters, it has its analogies in Dada, particularly the work of Alberto Burri and with later Arte Povera artists such as Antoni Tapies. John J. Richardson, like these artists begins his work with industrial detritus, found industrial shapes and the repetitive patterns from the urban industrial landscape. John, who lives and works within Detroit, Michigan has the perfect environment in which to acquire his material. His sculptures, prints and drawings are widely exhibited from Michigan to New York, The United Kingdom and China. Significant collections such as the Detroit Institute of Art in Michigan, the Iron Bridge Outdoor Museum of Sculpture in England and the Xiadu Sculpture Park in China among others own John’s creations.