John Graham

Statement

John Graham is multidisciplinary Canadian visual artist and award-winning independent filmmaker. His interests shift amongst multiple art media to explore new ideas and sensibilities. His creative processes synthesize long-standing interests in visual poetics, mythological representations, surreal aesthetics, transformational psychology, and the fantastical. John is fascinated by the montage nature of dream life and his visual artwork and short experimental films are not intended to appease the conscious mind but to challenge it.

GlogauAIR Project

John Graham during his residency will create a new short experimental film entitled ‘Nowness to Onwards’ which will poetically portray how being with a loved one who is dying can be sorrowful but also very beautiful. This philosophical project will be organized and shot in Berlin and collaboratively developed with creatives from the independent filmmaking and acting community.

Film Project Synopsis: A young man receives news that his favourite aunt is dying in Berlin. When he sees her in a hospital, she expresses that she does not want to die there or at home but somewhere beautiful. When he helps her fulfil her wish, he mysteriously develops Chromesthesia and the sounds of his thoughts involuntarily trigger colour changes in his sight.

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CV Summary

• John Graham is a multidisciplinary artist based in Saskatoon, Canada.
• Started his professional creative life by studying architecture and working as a young architect.
• Later shifted his creative focus to develop a career as a visual artist in multiple media.
• John’s ever-diversifying art practice includes printmaking, artist’s books, painting, drawing, installations, digital imaging and experimental filmmaking.
• Received a Master of Fine Art from the University of Oregon in Eugene, USA and a Bachelor of Fine Art from Concordia University in Montréal, Canada.
• Previously studied architecture and received a Master of Architecture and a Bachelor of Environmental Studies from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada.
• Has been the recipient of dozens of awards, grants, fellowships and prizes.
• His visual art has been widely exhibited in over 175 solo, duo and group shows in North America, Europe and Asia.
• As an award-winning independent filmmaker, John has created 9 short experimental films that have been screened at over 200 film festivals in over 40 countries.
• Has participated in artist residencies worldwide to develop both visual art and film projects.
• Has been teaching visual art in universities, college and art institutes in Canada, USA and Australia since 1999.
• In 2013, joined the Department of Art & Art History of the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada where he is now an Associate Professor of Printmaking & Digital Media.
• Continues to develop his multi-faceted art career while maintaining a busy teaching practice in studio art.

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