J.D. Perkin

J.D. Perkin’s new show, Island, is a large installation piece consisting of 80 larger than life-sized heads, mostly human and a few animal, each individually modeled, arranged in a circular formation approximately 18 feet in diameter. Perkin creates the sense of a "landscape" of people from all walks of life. While there are a few ‘common’ heads, most are wildly colorful, almost tribal. Some are wickedly funny, sprouting horns. There is a head of an African woman with chains for hair. There is a head that looks like Van Gogh, and a head that looks like James Joyce. And there are cubist heads and wolf heads, and there is a head buried up to its nose with a baseball cap that says "J.D." While Island is a somewhat dystopian vision–all humanity crowded together on the last remaining piece of dry land-–it is a piece of art intended as both tragic and comedic, and, through the use of texture, color and gesture, it is affecting and beautiful.

A Portland native, J.D. Perkin has exhibited his work since 1982. He received a BS from Portland State University in 1984, with a focus on anthropology. While there, he also received an Award of Excellence in Painting from the School of Fine and Performing Arts. A large part of Perkin’s artistic development includes performance art. He received a grant from the Metropolitan Arts Commission (RACC) in 1990 for his performance piece “Dirt Box.” In 2007, Perkin collaborated with Anne Thompson on Second Skin, a sculptural installation for the Portland Art Center. His work has been featured at the Portland International Airport, the Bush Barn in Salem, and on Oregon ArtBeat.

Island

July 7 – 30, 2016

Press Release