Jonathan Callan

Jonathan Callan’s (°1961) work ranges across a diverse set of mediums, methods and materials. It is linked by a preoccupation with the limitations of language. Callan often works with texts, books, maps, and photographs. Much of this information is sourced and filtered from secondhand books. He regards his own culture as one that is predominately literary and has had an almost lifelong concern in trying to reconcile his own deep interest in materiality with that pervasive literary history. The work is often playful, dark, and self consciously renders and re-presents much of what might be considered abstract- thought, meaning, understanding- in very physical terms. Texts and images are abraded, removed, reconstituted and at times almost obliterated. The work can be both small and intimate and also expansive, sculptural installations that occupy whole spaces.

His work is included in major museum collections including: The Museum of Modern Art, New York, The British Museum, London, The Henry Moore Institute, Leeds, UK, South London Gallery, London, Whitworth Gallery, Manchester, UK, The Britisch Council, The Ferens Art Gallery, Hull, The High Museum Atlanta, GA, The West Collection, Pennsylvania, The Leopold Hörsch Museum Düren, Germany, Princeton University Art Museum, New York, Progressive Art Collection ’Ohio and JP Morgan Chase Bank, New York.

1988-1990
Slade School of Fine Arts – Sculpture MA

1980-84
Goldsmiths College of Art, BA Honours

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