Tom John

Rosenberg & Co. is pleased to present the first solo exhibition of works by the contemporary artist Tom H. John.

‘I have always worked in the "abstract," borrowing whimsical shapes from the stage of dance performances and ballets I've designed and geometric shapes from architectural drawings for buildings I've designed. Painting gives me the freedom to incorporate both.’ – Tom H. John

Tom H. John is a polymath who applies his creativity to numerous fields, but is first and foremost a visual artist. Throughout his illustrious career in set design and production, the compulsion to produce fine art persisted. This exhibition brings to public view a selection of John’s creative inventory. Georges Braque, František Kupka, the Bauhaus artists, Paul Klee and Julius Bissier inspire his artwork. Primarily working on paper and canvas, John frequently applies gouache to the surface, upon which he builds up his designs. Working in pencil, marker, and watercolor, he sometimes adds newspaper collage to brown paper, or gold and silver foil to rice paper. Series reveal themselves in John’s many sketchbooks, some of which have subsequently been translated to larger scale, such as the four paneled piece included in the show, originally inspired by men’s suit patterns.

The exhibition is accompanied by an illustrated booklet.

Tom John (b. Collinsville, IL) studied at The Art Institute of Chicago. John has received five Emmys and the Peabody Award for his notable contributions to the design and production of film, television, and theatre sets. John lives and works in New York and is represented by Rosenberg & Co.

Rosenberg & Co. renews a salon-style space with a focus on the highest standards of connoisseurship and expertise. With an emphasis on the secondary Modern art market, Rosenberg & Co. also continues the legacy of working with contemporary artists.