Phauxshow

We are pleased to announce the new featured artist on Phauxshow: Johnny Stack.

Johnny Stack lives in Smithtown, Long Island and works in Manhattan. In describing the way that he creates art, Stack uses the expression ‘revealing the unconscious’. When beginning a new piece, Stack paints ‘aggressively, ‘spontaneously’, and without a ‘set plan’. He then observes the ‘inkblots’ that he has created and transforms them into the stunning compositions that you can view in his gallery. Many of his images capture feelings that he has experienced himself.

For Stack, creating art is a way of giving his feelings ‘physicality’. What he feels internally is transformed into something solid and observable when it becomes art. For Stack, art involves ‘discovery’. Stack creates something ‘physical’ through his art and becomes better acquainted with himself—his thoughts and feelings—in the process. This is not always easy. Stack observes that the mental world cannot always be translated with ease into the physical world—the world of canvas and paint, line and color. Stack responds to this challenge by experimenting with various mediums. In addition to the traditional mediums, Stack uses sound and video to explore and enhance the creative possibilities available to him.

Stack’s work is expressive, intense and dynamic. We hope that you enjoy the words and images that he has shared with us.

Where are you from? And where are you currently living?

I was born in Smithtown, Long Island. I’m still living here now. I love Long Island very much. I intern in Manhattan but I hope to live there some day. I have an hour and a half train ride just to work. It’s
getting a bit unrelenting and expensive.

What medium do you enjoy working in the most? And why?

As an artist I try to work in all mediums. I love working with video, sound and computer imaging, However my main fascination with art started with “traditional” practices. I’d sat my favorite medium
is mixed medium. Some may call it a cop out but I like variety, because each medium has it’s own identity and I like have different contrasts.

As far as scale, I like working on large scale canvases. My largest pieces range from 9ft wide to others that are 6 ft high. Working on a large scale is exciting to me, being able to create a huge picture plane that completely fills the viewer’s eye span. I like playing with the idea of being able to see certain things when your far away, and when you’re up close.

Your website is called ‘Revealing the Unconscious’. How did you decide upon this name? Does your art reflect the unconscious?

Revealing the Unconscious is a term I use to explain my thought process during art making. When I start a piece, regardless of the medium, I don’t usually have a set plan. In other words, I don’t
make a strict decision on where to start. I usually don’t even know what I’m making. I use paint in a very aggressive way, I feel. And a lot of studying goes behind how I create an image. I like to start
spontaneously and refine the aura of the spontaneity into completed identifiable individuals.

I’ve related the experience to psychological inkblot testing. I start to just drawing anything, any color or shape that comes to mind. After making many shapes in different colors and sizes- the shapes
have inevitably crashed into each other and created one big mess. I am left with an “inkblot” or just a blob of different colors of paint. A lot of analyzing occurs at this point, where I study and try and see through the mess. I start to see forms in the bodies paint. The majority of the time, I will see human characters or animals. As I see them, I develop their identities more by researching what I see. I try to stay true to the beginning spontaneous nature how they are created and leave some of the shapes that are apart of the original “inkblot”.

Revealing the Unconscious is really about discovery. After reflecting on my works, I try to understand where this energy comes from. A lot of the time, I will relate the results of my paintings to true experiences in my own personal life. While painting, all these ideas will start to spill out. This could be repressed feelings coming through a different vocal chord. The characters I portray- I know how they have felt, and that’s why their creation and presence is important to me.

Are there any themes or concepts that run throughout your work?

My work is centered around my personal feelings. A lot of the time, as a person, I’m told that I am very soft spoken, more so when I was younger. I believe I started making art to give my feelings physicality. Some people say my characters look like they are deteriorating-’they have a thin skin’-I believe all of them have some sort of vulnerability. I believe a lot of it is about identifying a character by their physical attributes and gender.

Are there any pieces that most accurately represent you as an artist?

I like to think that each piece has its own voice. My collection of work has many voices, I hope. A lot of people say that the “highlights” of my work are my sketches. I strive for my work to be important regardless of size or how its made. My visions have large monumental feelings to them regardless of the size.

Which piece was most difficult for you to complete?

It’s hard for me to know when any piece is finished. I have one painting I’ve been working on since 2003. When I was younger it was called “Dali’s Forest” now its called “The Cutting Forest”. It has
images of screaming trees in a kind of weird atmosphere. The material I decided to paint on is a plastic like canvas. This material was a large banner that was an advertisement at a concert. I decided to paint on it. It used to lay on the floor all night and I would drop paint on it periodically. Over several years it’s collected a thick crackling skin. I’m watching it deteriorate and crack and eventually it will be destroyed-but I love it’s character. Its was never an appreciate painting surface, but I like trying to keep it alive. Delaying completion is sometimes a good thing.

What can and cannot be expressed visually?

I can never create something the exact way I see it in my mind. I see something in my head and react to it. Art is more of a translation from the mind to the actuality of something. I believe that to be very frustrating sometimes, trying to illustrate all of the bodies senses at one moment . The sense of sight is obviously covered but smell, taste, hearing and touch are more difficult to illustrate, mediums like video and sound make that more possible. I believe writing is the most important thing an artist needs to do along with their visual process in order to keep the integrity of senses involved with a piece.

Do you paint during the morning, afternoon, or night?

Usually at Night. I’m a night owl. When I’m stressed is when I make my best work. I like having a strict deadline where I feel the pressure. Completely something you put literally all your time into and having a finished result.

Is there anything else that we should know about you?

I just want anyone who is interested in my art to check out my website and leave comments if you feel inclined to. Tell me about what you
think, positive or negative. Through networking, my goal is to have at least one person from every country and continent to view my artwork. My work is also available for showings in the Long Island/New York City area.

Johnny’s work can be found throughout Phauxshow. Why not start with his Artist Page.