Scorp Mag
October 2017View Video
John Paul Fauves, "No Bat Can Bite"
Mixed media on canvas
66" x 55.5"
John Paul Fauves, "The Punto"
Mixed media on canvas
61.5" x 52"
John Paul Fauves, "Lost N Found"
Mixed media on canvas
49" x 80"
John Paul Fauves, "Future In The Past"
Mixed media on canvas
49" x 80"
John Paul Fauves, "Did Dare"
Mixed media on canvas
63" x 47"
John Paul Fauves, "Mind Abyss"
Mixed media on canvas
62" x 53"
John Paul Fauves, "Mountain Live"
Mixed media on canvas
63" x 48"
John Paul Fauves, "Tiger In AHouse"
Mixed media on canvas
63" x 52"
John Paul Fauves "Soul Found Spirit"
Mixed media on canvas
72" x 50.50"
John Paul Fauves "Foundacoin of Paper"
Mixed media on canvas
60.50" x 50.50"
John Paul Fauves "Soul on Wood"
Mixed media on canvas
67" x 50.50"
John Paul Fauves, "Bob Paint"
Mixed media on canvas
43" x 31"
John Paul Fauves "In The Cloud"
Mixed media on canvas
73" x 49"
John Paul Fauves "We Wait" SOLD
Mixed media on canvas
51.50" x 42"
John Paul Fauves "Spiritual Day" SOLD
Mixed media on canvas
67" x 53"
John Paul Fauves "Wait On Flow" SOLD
Mixed media on canvas
53" x 47"
John Paul Fauves, "Elmo's Luer" SOLD
Mixed media on canvas
80" x 62"
John Paul Fauves "Art is Not A Thing" SOLD
Mixed media on canvas
53" x 47"
John Paul Fauves "When The Road is no Road" SOLD
Mixed media on canvas
50" x 43"
John Paul Fauves "James Warhol" SOLD
Mixed media on canvas
53" x 47"
John Paul Fauves "Psychosis" SOLD
Technique mixte sur toile
53.50" x 37"
John Paul Fauves, "I am Homer" SOLD
Mixed media on canvas
69" x 49"
John Paul Fauves, "MiQueen" SOLD
Mixed media on canvas
53" x 40"
John Paul Fauves, "Warhol Secrets" SOLD
Mixed media on canvas
53" x 38"
John Paul Fauves (b. 1980) is a contemporary Costa Rican Artist who lives and works in San Jose. Heavily influenced by the Fauvist movement of the early 20th century, John Paul seeks to eternally question and challenge viewers. His themes deal with all aspects of the self: temptation, addiction, and redemption being prominent throughout his works.
John Paul Fauves formulated much of his technique and subject matter under the guidance of Joaquin Rodriguez Del Paso throughout the 90’s and early 2000’s - and then spent fifteen years developing his signature fusing of pop culture icons with sinister and ever changing fauvist elements.
“A Loss of Innocence” - a theme conceived in 2015 was introduced to the NYC art scene with a solo show at Guy Hepner Gallery in 2016 with The TAX Collection. This series dealt with the innocence we observe in children (for John, this was his young son) and how we grapple with knowing they will inevitably lose this fragile worldview as they are exposed to the cruelty and beauty of the outside world.
We are all born evil and then as we start experiencing the system or the society we start to protect ourselves. We all wear masks and sometimes these masks are just so attached to us that we don't know, we don't even realize how to take them off because they're appart of us now. "Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth". You fall in love with your own mask because this mask becomes your personality and if this personality can end up being in some way powerful for you, you don't want to let go of that but what you don't realize is that it's not actually you it's just like you become a personality but you forget what you truly, truly, really are.
John Paul Fauves, the acclaimed Costa Rican contemporary artist is presenting his latest exhibition, 'A Loss Of Innocence' in conjunction with The Tax Collection. Showing now at Meir Art Gallery in Antwerp, Belgium (they also show other contemporary greats such as Banksy), this solo show explores the notion of hedonism versus redemption, and how we grow further from innocence. Via his 28 paintings, hand painted masks as well as audio/visual presentations, Fauves looks at the emotions felt by the viewer and delves beyond the surface. For this he uses famous figures in popular culture as a vehicle for expression, from Marilyn Monroe to James Dean, he merges these famous faces with Mickey Mouse, the ultimate symbol of innocence.
Costa Rican contemporary artist John Paul Fauves’ work is full of meaning and critique; covered in color and intensity. Both his alias and his style are influenced by Fauvism, but his game of faces, tones, and brushstrokes add a vibrant touch of singularity. He has shown Internationally and has been featured in many publications including Forbes Magazine. Known as a “neo-pop expressionist” Fauves wants us to question humanity as we mature, becoming increasingly desensitized as ultimately, we grow further away from our childhood innocence. His aim is to throw light on the dark underbelly of society and highlight the many layers of the human form.