Beautiful Bizarre, 2016

Through his art, as with his music, John John Jesse embodies the New York City punk rock lifestyle, and he shares his experiences through his paintings. His style has evolved into a distinct artistic language, concentrating on lifelike images surrounded by obsessive detail. Vivid colours built up in translucent layers of gouache, graphite, ink, spray paint and acrylic are usually hand-painted on wooden panels, and often framed in vintage baroque frames. He paints the girls he grew up with, documenting their punk lifestyle of drink and drugs. Most of the people featured in his work are friends of his, generally naked or partially undressed, pictured in situations that are at the same time colourful, entertaining, fantastic and gritty.