Exhibits & Events

Opening reception: Friday, May 17, 6 – 10 pm
Artist talk: Saturday, May 18, noon – 4 pm

The James Oliver Gallery in partnership with InLiquid is pleased to announce The Making of A Modern Man, the debut solo show by artist and jewelry designer John Y. Wind.

John Y. Wind’s installations and assemblage sculptures are deeply personal reflections on desire and the commercial nature of everyday life. Made from diaristic collections of ephemera and objects, Wind is inspired by the great collagist/collectors of the past, including Kurt Shwitters, Hannah Darboven, Ray Johnson, and Joseph Cornell. Indeed, there is a profoundly charming sense of homage throughout the show.

Combining canonical figures — from Michaelangelo’s “David” to Elvis Presley — with countless souvenirs from his life (ticket stubs, key fobs, empty cologne bottles, mix tape cassettes), Wind explores themes of desire, identity, and the passage of time. Watches and charms, fashioned by Wind, appear throughout the installation as attributes of his business designing costume jewelry.

His work also explores the fetishized nature of glamour and the stark carnal aspects of our culture in collages that layer celebrities, porn stars, and luxury brands. Bringing to mind Robert Mapplethorpe and Jack Pearson, Wind conflates private and public and projects himself, his fantasies, and his aspirations in the work.

John Wind studied at the University of Pennsylvania and the Slade School of Art in London. His works are in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum of London and the Musée Des Arts Decoratifs in Paris. His jewelry designs for Maximal Art have been praised throughout the world.

Public hours at James Oliver Gallery are Wednesday through Friday, 5 – 8 pm and Saturday, noon – 8 pm or by appointment.

Support provided in part by the Philadelphia Cultural Fund

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