John Salt – Ikon, Birmingham
May 9th, 2011
I remember the first time I saw John Salt ‘s work. It was as a keen 14 or 15 year old in Bloxwich library around 1983. There was a fantastic huge thick book on Photorealism and it had Chuck Close in, Richard Estes etc… I guess Chuck Close hit me hardest but I saw John’s paintings and thought , ( aside from admiration for the technique) “wow, those paintings are so creepy”, and I imagined what crazy people lived in those caravans in those trailer parks. Now I still think that when I see them…although, in the passage of time they also make me think of “My Name is Earl” too. I still find it strange how people find eachother and end up doing and founding things together, how John left Birmingham in the late 60’s for America and ended up founding super realism with Chuch Close. I guess in the internet days relationships are built much more easily but back then it must have felt a bit like a voyage. John shows in the same gallery as me and is deply admired by all of the artists who came up for the show from all corners of the country as you can see in the pre show drink.
Entry Filed under: Art