member John Felix Arnold: artist residency vs. global pandemic
“There has been a lot of time to think about our relationship with nature and how out of control society is, and how I can incorporate some of those thoughts and observations from this global slow down and change [into my work].”
PP Supporter John Felix Arnold III was recently awarded a spot with Duke University’s Rubenstein Arts Center Visiting Artist Residency. Along with wanting to feature his practice, we were curious to hear about his time spent there and how it was affected by the COVID19 pandemic. In Arnold’s own words, he shares his experience starting the Duke Residency:
“Bill Fick, the professor in charge of Duke University's Rubenstein Residency, selected me to come and be a part of their programming. It was a big honor for me, Bill is a legend. The proposed residency project is really personal for me, an installation that is a conceptual portrait of my evolving birth-city Durham, NC.”
Growing up as the son of two professional dancers he was surrounded by an intensely creative community at an early age. Arnold’s father brought him along on various tours, thus allowing him to explore parts of Asia and Europe at a young age. These experiences continue to inform his art to this day.
studio shot of works in progress
“The project draws on ideas and notions of home, shelter, memory, movement, community, change, and the evolution of mythology. I worked for about three weeks prepping, starting to install the piece, experimenting with studies in the studio, and working with some students. Just as I had really gotten some solid work done it became apparent that I needed to get back Oakland, CA. Then Duke started issuing its first quarantine orders so I got on a plane on March 12th. I'm fortunate that I can return and finish this once it's possible, there are a lot of artists whose opportunities were just canceled in the midst of this. There is a lot of support from Duke and Bill which I am grateful for.”
in-progress shots of Duke Residency installation.
Arnold in his studio
“It's a strange feeling having the project exist in a suspended state, a moment of true powerlessness and humility. I am hopeful it will end up with some new perspectives and be better than it would have originally to be honest. There has been a lot of time to think about our relationship with nature and how out of control society is, and how I can incorporate some of those thoughts and observations from this global slow down and change into the piece when I return. I have no idea what the world will look like from here on out, but as always we artists will think of ways to do great things with whatever circumstances come our way. “
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John Felix Arnold III received a BFA from Pratt Institute in 2002. He has exhibited with SFMOMA, B.R.I.C. Arts, The Luggage Store, Aggregate Space, and Tokyo’s Spes-Lab Experimental Art Space. He is a Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Grant Awardee, two time Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant Nominee, represented by the SFMOMA Artists Gallery, and can be found in Takashi Murakami’s private collection. He has worked extensively with Hirokazu Kosaka at the Japanese American Creative Cultural Center in Los Angeles, CA. He is featured in Aggregate Space Gallery’s First 50 Retrospective Book, and his work has been covered by press outlets such as The San Francisco Chronicle‘s “96 Hours,” Juxtapoz, Hi-Fructose, and Common Magazine (JP).