Whilst still containing elements that give associations to urban and industrial structures John Berry’s works refuses to be read in a narrative way. Dealing with issue such as the constant flood of images in a modern society, especially on social media, and the usage of picture as a means of delivering varying truths, Berry composes paintings foremost constructed of geometric shapes with strong color schemes. He appeals us to not be concerned with the representation of actual objects but to shift our thoughts towards questions of what artistic strategies are used to form a balanced picturesque composition.
After a bachelor’s degree in illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design in 2004 John Berry studied painting at the Indiana University, where he graduated with a master’s degree in 2009. Since 2005 he has received several scholarships and grants from various American institutions. Berry participated in residencies in the US, China, Germany and most recently in July 2023 in Barreiro, Portugal. His works have been shown in various group and solo exhibitions mostly in the US and Germany.
John Berry lives and works in Greencastle, Indiana, where since 2018 he holds an associate professorship for painting and drawing at DePauw University.