As a recipient of Arts Council England’s Develop Your Creative Practice grant, John undertook a two month residency in Athens with rug maker Jose Ballerzosa. During this period, the artists developed a capsule collection of handmade rugs informed by themes of urban decay and the layered tensions embedded within the city of Athens. The project marked the beginning of an ongoing dialogue between material process, place, and collaborative exchange.
John has also engaged in experimental lighting projects with product designers Dual Works, and collaborated with artist Jimmy Turrell on a print collection exhibited at BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Newcastle, as part of a promotional campaign for Newcastle United Football Club.
Collaboration forms a vital part of his practice. Through working across disciplines, John seeks to expand his material language, test new making techniques, and open his work to unexpected processes and outcomes.
