John Coen

I studied drawing and sculpture at Edinburgh College of Art from 1993 to 1997 and then a MA degree in fine art at Sheffield Hallam University from 1997 to 1999.

I make work in a number of different ways, all of which are gradually evolving. The evolution from one series to the next are rarely dramatic, but each new painting, print or sculptural work builds on those that have gone before in a subtle but constant progression. Use of line and minimal colour in the print and sculptural work could aptly be described as mechanical given that key compositional elements are produced by the process of inject printing and anodising. These processes allow precise and exact colour production. Each finished work thus allows a constant in terms of colour from which to refine and develop the line elements. The interplay between the line elements, material and colour and the background allows associations between form and structure. The paintings are inspired by the process of wrapping electrical windings with tape which is time consuming and labour intensive. The materials, canvas, cotton tape, thread and string have either been left in their raw state or when painted the underlying material is left visible to reveal the texture.

The photog...

1993-97 Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh: BA (Hons) Sculpture
1997-99 Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield: MA Fine Art

Group Exhibitions:
2018 RSA Open Exhibition, Edinburgh
2017 RSA Open Exhibition, Edinburgh
2014 RSA Open Exhibition, Edinburgh
2013 RSA Open Exhibition, Edinburgh
2012 RA Summer Exhibition, London
2001 ‘Home (between 8 & 10pm)’, Rotherham Art Gallery, Rotherham
2000 ‘Vim & Vigour’, curated by MASS at S1 Artspace, Sheffield
1999 ‘Untitled-Until-Titled’, curated by Interstellar at S1 Artspace, Sheffield and ‘Infected Material’, East Street Arts, Leeds

Residence:
1999 National Sculpture Factory, Cork, Ireland. Installation: ‘Cork Trams’

Sculpture:
1999 410md – stone sculpture, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh