by Jonathan S. Allen
April 16 - May 15, 2005


Artist Statement:
My work is firmly rooted in my disdain for "authority". Whether that authority is to claim dominance of an idea, people, or laws, as artist I am in a struggle to render it's grip obsolete through my excruciatingly tightly rendered drawings. The redeeming aspect of this battle is based in my interpretation of "order". Order is found throughout the miraculous efficiency of nature which man seems to be maddeningly fighting every step of the way, and it is through this that there is a consistent theme of the potential demise of our own support system of life found through out my work. My art is entrenched in the pursuit of the "anti-authority" which I liken to a parasitic virus that attaches itself to a fresh mind; it's only goal: to manipulate, corrupt and control; the antidote: ART and self exploration! The application to my theory of "order" is
practiced through drawing.


Using the medium of drawing, I pull imagery automatically from a subconscious parts of my mind, although I couldn't say with certainty that's it's entirely subconscious, I'm not an authority on the subject. It is through my large-scale drawings in which I attempt to allow for the piece to take over, to exist with out me and somehow before me. There are so many illogical
and utterly insane aspects of the historical human experience which allow my art making to exist, and it is with in this realm of the "dream" that I can experience brief snippets of truth. At this point it is nearly impossible for me to discuss the separation between these multi-facilitated realms of inspiration. A constant theme in my work is to explore the image of a face or a mythical creature or place in an attempt to journey further into parts of myself that are unfamiliar in the hope that I stumble upon a fellow stranger in the dark. There is no truth to be created, there are only discoveries to be made and found, and they can only be attained through conversations you may be fortunate enough to have with the "stranger".


My paranoias and insecurities play a large part in the choice of my depiction of large floating heads of women. Whether it is a personal connection or a need to feel something from a distance - the sadness of unrequited love, and rejection is a very strong emotion I feel on a micro (personal) level as well as on the macro (global) level. Intuitively, there is a dream-like distortion in my imagery that begs for the temporary beautiful gaze which then melts and grows into a zombie-like stare; the indescribable spaces between our words and conversations. It is constant expansion and flux and my growth and maturity to explore this realm is entirely dependent on how much I can begin to unlearn my arena in the drama of "authority".