Johnny Izatt-Lowry's artistic narrative weaves a tapestry of the personal and universal, where everyday objects transcend their mundane origins and spaces beckon us to explore their dimensions. Rooted in the minutiae of his domestic surroundings, these paintings shift from the intensely personal to the broadly relatable.
The inception of each painting lies in these intimate moments and objects, but as they undergo an evolution involving the manipulation of stock images, drawings, and Photoshop, which causes them to transcend their origins in individual experience. What emerges from this process are not just representations of objects but rather evocative manifestations of the memories bound to them. He abandons reliance on specific references, instead conjuring the ambiance and spatial intricacies from his imagination. Shadows cascade across surfaces, imbuing the scenes with an intangible sense of time and place—a unique fusion of personal recollection and universal resonance.
Another prominent theme throughout Izatt-Lowry's works revolves around the manipulation of spatial constructs and perspective, endowing his compositions with a surreal quality. The artworks, initially appearing compact, serve as a testament to the malleability of reality when subjected to the constraints of the canvas. Upon closer inspection, seemingly straightforward compositions—ordinary arrangements of everyday objects on a table—begin to unravel. Perspectives warp, objects perch incongruously upon one another, and vantage points clash. Only the shadows, cast with precision, serve as steadfast anchors, tethering the elements to their respective surfaces. These qualities infuse the scenes with a dreamlike aura, simultaneously evoking domestic familiarity while defying logical scrutiny.
The materials employed contribute to the surreal nature of the experience. The painstaking layering of colored pencils upon crepe fabric, initially dyed with acrylic paint, results in an image that emerges organically, evolving through the interplay of hues and textures. These artworks inhabit a liminal space where recognition and abstraction intersect. In their materiality, they mirror the subjects they depict—distinct yet elusive, beckoning the viewer into a realm that oscillates between representation and the unknown.
Johnny Izatt-Lowry (b. 1995, Durham, UK) received his MFA from Slade School of Fine Art / UCL and his BFA from Ruskin School of Fine Art, University of Oxford. Recent solo exhibitions include Around dusk, or thereabouts, Fabian Lang, Zurich; A Table, with Things On, Taymour Grahne Projects, London; and By day, but then again by night, Cooke Latham Gallery, London. Recent group exhibitions include Reigen, Fabian Lan Gallery, Zurich; An Absolute Reality, Tuesday to Friday, Valencia; One, curated by Subsidiary Projects x Jeannette Gunnarsson, San Mei Gallery, London; and Interludes, Workplace Gallery, London. In 2019, Johnny was awarded the Desiree Prize in Painting from Slade School of Art and participated in the Plop Residency in London. Johnny lives and works in London, UK.