John Boehme (Canada)
Ready for the day, The Day, T.G.I.F. (Thank God it’s Friday)
An exploration into the facile and fictive persona of a middle management employee and what lengths he will go through to create his character which will enable him to navigate a very complex world.
These actions are of a series of body augmentations i.e. Manicure, pedicure facial, Brazilian wax shave and sun tanning and eventually Drinking heavily and gaming within a leisurely, absurd and often sardonic context.
What interests and informs this work is the constant formulation and reformulation one encounters in various modes of communication. Language or paralanguage (physical or gestural) is an integral part of my work. Current engagement in the production, presentation and research of a recent body of work, which explores (through trans-disciplinary installation and object making), the language and object-hood of Labour, Leisure and Sport.
John G. Boehme’s work integrates new practices with a trans-disciplinary approach often incorporating performance, sculpture, photography, video, digital technology, and installation. Over the past decade John has developed an extensive exhibition record both nationally and internationally. From full Brazilian waxes in Chile to surfing in Newfoundland and Golfing in a Gdansk shipyard and selling cheap goods from a hole in the ground of Minsk. John G. Boehme is recipient of numerous International, Federal and Provincial arts grants. Each season members of TRACE install-action gallery votes for the artist they feel has produced the most significant live work and installation during the year. The award is named after the Canadian artist John Boehme who produced one of the most startling performances their first season 2000-2001.