John Wood: On the Edge of Clear Meaning

Born in California in 1922, John Wood has consistently challenged traditional photography, often incorporating painting, drawing, and collage as well as cliché verre, solarization, and offset lithography. The artist emphasizes the role of drawing in his work: “Mark making, calligraphy, the kinetic motion of the movement of the hand, are very important to me; probably more important than anything else.” Transgressing the boundaries of straight photography, Wood’s practice helped usher in an alternative approach to the medium. His diaristic, multi-media compositions revel in their combinations of text and imagery, anticipating today’s digital era with its delight in manipulation.

John Wood: On the Edge of Clear Meaning presents an overview of the artist’s work, including photographs, prints, drawings, and books. The catalogue contains an essay by the critic, David Levi Strauss; an essay on Wood’s teaching career by Ezra Shales; a biography and comprehensive bibliography by William S. Johnson; and a DVD which features a video interview with John Wood and a digital page-turning program. Number of frames: 213; 6 whirligigs; video interview (running time 48 minutes); digital page display of 6 artist’s books.