Friday, September 19, 2008



Recycled Regurgitations

at Wabi Sabi Warehouse

An exhibition of art created by John Goras


Exhibition dates:October 3-November 21

Opening reception: Friday, October 3rd, 7-10pm


John Goras is as prolific as Picasso, but with an anti-aesthetic. Beauty is not the measure here, instead its about invention, surprise, shock, and revulsion. Any available surface is up for grabs. From sheet linoleum to vinyl wallpaper samples, from old album covers to discarded packaging, he has decorated each with collage, painting, drawing, and sculptural relief. Goras' creations gather and project images in a language both ephemeral and sentimental. His fascination with thrown away toys, photos, pornography, menus, magazines, and movie posters, provides him with an endless palette of junk he can draw from again and again to synthesize his art. John Goras creates works from the debris of our cast off culture, instead of more traditional and lasting materials such as marble, bronze, or oil on canvas.


Overwhelming and relentless, his outrageous postcards have insulted letter carriers for nearly ten years. Postal workers have gone so far as to put the offending Goras creation in an opaque postal envelope before delivering it to a mailbox. The subject matter is often a revolting yet humorous look past the grave, into the things we are far too squeamish to embrace. He breaks the mirror, steps on the crack, spills the salt, and walks under the ladder, all with the hope of improving his luck. Goras' artwork stands out like bloodstains on a wedding dress. Brightly colored, controversial, and smartly designed, he produces a style that is instantly recognizable and impossible to counterfeit.