From the Mouth of Jon Taylor

Realizing that the reality we live in is a construct of arbitrary norms; I am interested in exploring various modes of existence.  Unlearning the presupposed outcomes that I’ve been taught frees me to navigate and experience the world in a completely fresh manner, responding and adapting to situations with a minimum of bias, and inventing new realities.

Often, my work involves the creation of a ‘character’ that represents a certain belief structure, and around which develops a story.  The subject is outfitted with clothing or structures that are an augmentation or extension of the body, and blend aspects of fashion, packaging and architecture. The character is documented in situations that parody real events, highlighting and exaggerating oddities of human behavior

The backbone of my methodology is a relentless commitment to drawing; on paper, on walls, large or small, this two dimensional aspect of my work functions as both blueprint for more elaborate projects and compositional playgrounds where thoughts overlap and intertwine.  These pieces can stand alone, or more often are reconfigured into sub-components of three-dimensional constructions. 

Responding largely to my immediate surroundings, I look for materials that have been passed over by society, our garbage is the greatest marker of our civilization (or lack of).  My approach to manipulating these materials has taken a decidedly more low-tech approach recently.  For the past year, I have existed as a non-packagitarian  (a lifestyle which avoids the consumption of packaged goods).  The recurrent theme of packaging speaks to a pandemic fear of contamination, detachment from our surroundings, and the containment of our built environs.

I invite the viewer, if only for a brief second, to laugh at ourselves, and the state that humanity finds itself in.  With a lighthearted approach, this work creates lasting impressions that can be appreciated on many levels.