The James Oliver Gallery Presents 

The Makings Of A Modern Man

 *Wine and refreshments will be served

 

The James Oliver Gallery, in partnership with Inliquid is pleased to announce “The Making of A Modern Man,” the debut solo show by artist and jewelry designer John Y. Wind. 

John Y. Wind’s installations and assemblage sculptures are deeply personal reflections on desire and the commercial nature of everyday life. Made from diaristic collections of ephemera and objects, Wind is inspired by the great collagist/collectors of the past, including Kurt Shwitters, Hannah Darboven, Ray Johnson and Joseph Cornell. Indeed, there is a profoundly charming sense of homage throughout the show.

Combining canonical figures-from Michelangelo’s David to Elvis Presley—with countless souvenirs from his life (ticket stubs, key fobs, empty cologne bottles, mix tape cassettes), Wind explores themes of desire, identity, and the passage of time. Watches and charms, fashioned by Wind, appear throughout the installation as attributes of his business designing costume jewelry.

           

His work also explores the fetishized nature of glamour and the stark carnal aspects of our culture in collages that layer celebrities, porn stars, and luxury brands. Bringing to mind Robert Mapplethorpe and Jack Pearson, Wind conflates private and public and projects himself, his fantasies, and his aspirations in the work.