When it comes to artworks filled with circular elements, do you immediately think of the iconic works of the “Polka Dot Queen” Yayoi Kusama? However, it turns out that even seemingly ordinary circular elements from different artists can create works with different styles. Gagosian will host the first solo exhibition for American artist Jonas Wood at the end of this month, showcasing 10 new oil paintings and two sets of related works on paper.
The concept of the exhibition originated from the retrospective of Wood held by the Dallas Museum of Art in 2019, where he saw his painting “Orchid with Dots” from 2015 again, with a black background and a plant painted on top. The walls of the exhibition hall were covered with wallpaper full of dots, hanging different single plant paintings, creating a lively display space. This inspired him to continue exploring the concept of using black as a background in his latest exhibition and exhibit similar works together.
The new paintings continue Wood’s exploration of themes such as fruits, flowers, and potted plants, depicting vibrant orchids and succulents, including a large bunch of bananas and a lush turtle back bamboo. The artist transforms plants into colorful and geometric patterns, highlighting their forms against a monochromatic background for the study of color theory, patterns, and lines. Since arriving in Los Angeles in 2003, plants have become an important subject in his artistic creations. Coming from the East Coast of the United States, he was amazed by the diverse plant species in Southern California. The tropical plants depicted in his paintings not only represent the potted plants at home and in the studio, but also symbolize the local climate and culture.
Wood refers to his work as a personal visual diary, often using everyday life as inspiration, drawing things that are tangible in his own life. He has stated that he does not paint for the audience, and does not even want to know about market preferences. For him, staying true to his own creativity is more important. In terms of artistic style, Wood is inspired by the expressive scenes of masters such as Vincent van Gogh, Henri Matisse, and David Hockney from the Cubist movement. Whether in non-realistic scene styles or in compositional separations, his works present a unique visual effect that lies between surface space and abstract domain, creating a seemingly flat yet three-dimensional visual experience.
Jonas Wood explores abstract forms through still life paintings, combining the power of modern art with art and life, creating unique yet approachable “circle” images. Feel free to attend the exhibition and appreciate this artist’s latest masterpiece.
Jonas Wood Solo Exhibition
Date: November 26, 2021 to January 15, 2022
Time: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM (Sunday, some galleries)
Location: Gagosian Hong Kong, 7/F, Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central
Learn more: Gagosian
