New York City artist John Perry documents his unsuspecting subway subjects with a keen eye and skilled hand. This series is fraught with beautiful expressive line work and spare compositions. Follow the link above to see more.
Began in 1990, and containing over two thousand visages, the Series Subterrania is an ongoing Archive of New Yorkers below street level. Done from life and without the knowledge of the subjects, these drawings attempt to capture a glimpse into the soul of New York through the individuals that are the city.
Born in Brooklyn in 1965, son of an American Army Officer and a Korean national mother, John spent the first 16 years of his life predominantly in the Far East, (Japan, Korea, Okinawa).
In 1990, he returned to New York to complete an MFA in painting from Parsons/New School. Straddling many social strata, his work contains a vast cross-section of life, and is quintessentially New York.
Artist statement:
I want those who are from New York to be able to feel and recognize their beloved city and its people, in all its depth; and for those who are not from New York, to experience the city as if they were natives. I do this by working from direct observation, without the aid of photos. No matter what movements or fashion changes in art, this way of working, I believe firmly it produces a timeless result.
John’s work is included in The Gentrification of Brooklyn: The Pink Elephant Speaks exhibit which opened last month at MoCADA (Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts). The show runs through May 16th.
>> John Perry NYC
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These are really beautiful, I love the quality of his lines and the subjects look so honest and real. Great post!