The lamp of beauty writings on art

Résumé : In little more than a decade, Jonas Wood has established himself as one of the most talented and original painters of his generation. Exploring a variety of subjects that include friends, family members, sport celebrities, landscapes, domestic interiors, plants, his own work as well as that of other artists, Wood has developed a representational style where overlapping textures and disorienting compressions of space contribute to create images that transmit a universal sense of familiarity, even when they are deeply private. Defined by an awareness of the predominant role of photography in contemporary culture, yet deeply indebted to the history of painting and the possibilities still therein, a meaningful engagement and exploration with the present emerges. Wood's work challenges the notion of visual authenticity through a process of combining elements from different sources to create an image that is uniquely his. His works constitute a reflection of our present time while paying tobute to the great artists that have influenced Wood's practice, from modern masters Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso, to California cantor David Hockney, and the celebrated duo of ceramists Michael Frimkess and Magdalena Suarez Frimkess In the Interview Mark Grotjahn and the artist discuss their backgrounds and how they were able to turn their passion into a profession while getting acquainted with the dynamics of the art world Helen Molesworth's Survey is a profound and comprehensive analysis of the historical context in which Wood's practice developed, and how the various elements that compose the fabric of his life inform his paintings. Ian Alteveer focuses on Wood's proclivity for representing interiors and how these resonate with the rest of his work and history of art in general. The comprehensive and previously unpublished selection of images in Studio Visit offers a rare insight into the artist's working environment, his process and sources of inspiration. Finally, Artist's Writings include excerpts from conversations with Corrina Peipon, Katy Donoghue and Jeong Yun Hyeong.