Artsy Shark presents the work of artist Jason Woodson. He describes himself as an “Anglo-austral-african-american artist, which is a hyphenated way of saying I was born in New York, raised in Australia and am now a citizen of the United Kingdom.” See more of his work by visiting his website.
Through my work I attempt to examine the complexities of our shared sexual and racial identities as a means to explore my own self-portrayal. What began as a personal journey, my own looking glass if you will, has translated into images of complex sexuality and at times rage, yet through employing familiar imagery allows for a greater connection between minority and majority, the marginal and the mainstream.
While my work is spread across many different types of media, my methodology remains the same. I enjoy deconstructing the overlapping mythologies of the places that I have called home. Through my exploration of the American Dream, the British Commonwealth and their shared histories, faerie tales and urban legends, I am able to come to a greater understanding of my own idiosyncratic view of the world and the way in which it has shaped my identity, both sexually and as an ethnic minority.
The audience’s interpretation of my work is as important to me as the original concept, as I believe that a work of art is not something that exists in its own right, but is brought to life through interaction. As such I often embellish my work with text from poems, songs and advertising slogans, in effort to provide clues and create conflict within an image.
Primarily of late I have been working in the field of photography, as I find the immediacy of the medium quite exciting. Photography has a mythology all its own and although we live in the world of retouching and Photoshop, generally speaking we still believe a photo never lies.
I have exhibited work in solo and group shows in the US, Australia, Europe and Asia. I have work in private collections around the world and have been featured in both print and digital media, such as Pink Mince, LightLeaks, Spank!, GT, Attitude, QX and Boyz. I divide my time between my homes in London and Barcelona with my boyfriend, our dog and a wealth of Apple products.
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