John Isiah Walton:

Code Black Infinite

May 1-30, 2024

FIRST WEDNESDAY OPENING: May 1, FROM 6 - 9PM

ARTICULATE ARTIST TALK: SUNDAY, may 5, AT 4PM.

NORMAL GALLERY HOURS: TUE - SUN, 12PM - 6PM

FOLLOW US AT BRGALLERY FOR UPDATES AND IMAGES!

John Isiah Walton was born in 1985 in New Orleans, where he currently lives and works. He depicts subjects that are often unconventional and, at times, shocking. Walton works in a reactionary mode. His visual language is influenced by internet aesthetics, Black identity, pop culture, and Louisiana history to deliver poignant social commentary reflecting the contemporary world. In the tradition of Basquiat, his work often has hidden meanings and symbols, which are revealed through his neo-expressionist markings. The frenetic, choppy brushwork endows the work with the energy and intensity that the artist is known for.

He uses wit and irony to address the constructs of race and class with both irreverence and sensitivity, merging politically correct discourse with politically incorrect humor. Like the Realist painters of 19th century France, Walton exchanges the idealistic for the real in his work, continuing the avant-garde's ethos of merging art and life. He is concerned with how contemporary life is socially, economically, politically, and culturally, which sometimes leads to portrayals of life's unpleasantries. The artist explains, "I really felt like I needed to not do paintings of a carriage, plants, or people playing instruments. I needed to catch people robbing restaurants or a building burning down. I had to depict the real going on because it can always be swept away."

Explaining how he chooses his subject matter Walton says, "New Orleans is one of those messy cities. I just try to catch everything. I catch my vision of what it is for me to be here." For Walton, this type of creativity that draws from grounded, personal experiences are what separates him from other artists, "It's all about making it your own. The struggle forces you to be creative.”

“The Black Paintings,” a series Walton began in 2017, addresses issues of identity including visibility and invisibility, presence and absence, figure, and void. On canvases painted black, layers of neon-hued acrylic and oil sticks depict scenes ranging from the mundane to the controversial.

This exhibition is presented alongside the latest works from Anita Cooke, Linda Jeffers, and Nonney Oddlokken. All works from these artists are on view, free of charge, during regular gallery hours (12 - 6 p.m., Tue - Sun) from May 1 - 30, 2024.

works on view