Last month, the Ohio Art League announced that they were packing up their Short North gallery and moving northward to a new location at the South Campus Gateway. The OAL will be hosting their opening exhibition in the new space this Thursday as local Columbus artist Joey Monsoon takes center stage with his solo “Dreamsters Union” show. Joey is no stranger to Columbus Underground, as he was recognized as 2008’s artist of the year. We caught up with Joey recently to find out what to expect of his new work in this new venue.
Walker Evans: I commonly see your work referred to as fitting into the visual art sub-genre known as “Lowbrow”. What does that term mean to you, and is it something you identify with?
Joey Monsoon: To me, lowbrow is a working-class aesthetic. It’s coal miners, auto mechanics, public school teachers and bartenders. If my paintings can somehow capture a sense of the dedication and integrity of those trades, then I’m proud to be lowbrow. That being said, I don’t think too much importance should be placed on labeling art. There are too many distinct voices to give it only one name.
WE: I imagine that being a self-taught artist also feeds into to that type of working-class aesthetic. Do you have any specific cultural themes that you find yourself inspired by, both during your formative years as well as on a more recent basis?
JM: I grew up in a typical Midwestern middle-class environment, surrounded by a colorful cast of hard-working family and friends. As a kid I loved comic books and cartoons, later my interests gravitated towards mythology and science fiction. My paintings are an amalgamation of those influences. I think it’s my way of trying to find a mythology or heroism in our common rituals and roles. I think there is some magic in our factories and pool halls. I like to imagine coal miners making cave paintings.
WE: Your upcoming exhibition at the Ohio Art League’s new South Campus Gateway gallery space is the opening show for the new venue. Are you feeling any extra pressure being the opening act?
JM: I certainly want to make the Ohio Art League membership proud. I’m very grateful for having been selected for this show, and being the first to exhibit in the new space is an added bonus. I think there is always a bit of anxiety related to how new work will be received regardless of the location.
WE: Yeah, I read on your blog that this exhibition contains lot of new work, much of it in a larger format than what you’ve traditionally worked with. Do you view this as an evolutionary step, or more of a one-off feature for a special exhibition?
JM: Definitely an evolutionary step. My art seemed to gain some momentum last year and this momentum pushed me to improve my craft. One of the most significant changes that I made was getting into a studio at Chop Chop. Craig and Ashley have built a very inspiring environment there, and I got to soak-in a lot of their creativity on a regular basis. Working bigger was another evolutionary step. This granted me the surface space to experiment and develop new techniques. In addition to the new paintings, I also self-published a small hardcover book of my art from the last couple of years which will be available in very limited quantities at the opening.
WE: Nice. The book will probably lend itself well to a show with direct proximity to an educational institution like OSU. Do you think the new OAL space will help to serve as a bridge both for students to access the Columbus art scene as well as an opportunity for non-students to step back into the campus area where they may not typically go to view art?
JM: On the surface it may seem like a strange pairing, but I think it will be a great addition to the campus environment. We have an incredible amount of talented, motivated artists in this town. Giving them the opportunity to directly interact with a community of tens-of-thousands of students and teachers is bound to lead to some valuable experiences on both sides.
WE: Lastly, for anyone unfamiliar with your work, what’s the most memorable bit of criticism, good or bad, that someone has given you from one of your previous exhibitions?
JM: A friend once told me that they liked my paintings, but that the people in them were too ugly. They asked if I could make them cuter. Now don’t get me wrong, I appreciate cute. I’m just not any good at making it.
More information about Joey Monsoon can be found at JoeyMonsoon.com, and more information about The Ohio Art League can be found at OAL.org.