Stapi, oil on linen

John Zurier was born in Santa Monica, California, and now lives and works between Berkeley, California, and Reykjavik, Iceland. The artist is known for his minimalist paintings that tend toward a monochromatic colour scheme, focusing on the texture and arrangement of brush marks across the canvas.

At Havalsnes, distemper on linen

Some of Zurier’s paintings, and the way he emphasizes the texture and materiality of the paint, call to mind the late Robert Ryman. Zurier’s works are obviously more colour-focused, and seem to take a more playful, gentle approach to this particular style of working. The artist works in a wide range of dimensions, with gallery installations displaying everything from letter-sized sheets to large-scale works as tall as the gallery walls themselves.

It’s interesting to note the tension between strict monochrome and more nuanced painting styles in Zurier’s work. The way the artist keeps his brush marks visible allows for minute variations in shade and tone, lending to a more voluminous look for his works.

Untitled