JoKa

artist spotlight

March 19th, 2021

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Arch Enemy Arts is pleased to present a spotlight on Philly-based artist JoKa, exhibiting 17 acrylic works painted on a variety of surfaces, many of which feature hand-embellished, intricate frames constructed by the artist. A self-proclaimed “hyperpointillist,” JoKa often creates entire paintings using a toothpick, applying countless impossibly small dots in layers to form an image.

Of late, JoKa has broadened his approach by combining brushwork and pointillism together, overlapping seemingly discordant images and symbols to create the semblance of collage out of pure paint. From an art historical perspective, this is really intriguing. Whereas pointillism breaks down forms into tiny, distinct dots of color, collages are made from disparate parts of various wholes. In other words, both techniques—pointillism and collage—deconstruct the form into component parts, leaving the viewer to piece it all together, to make meaning from something that is impossible to fully determine. And, as if just to get our heads spinning even further, JoKa creates this effect using paint and paint alone.

We see these new works as less of a departure and more of a deepening as the artist has always asked viewers to allow his work “to slowly seep into the surreal corners of our unconscious, reminding us that a singularity of meaning isn’t always possible in the complex world we inhabit.” 

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- writeup by Candice Lee Smith 

JoKa's Artist Spotlight will be physically on view in the side room from March 19th -  April 12th, 2021.
Sold works will begin to ship the week of April 19th unless other rush shipping arrangements have been made.

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All pieces marked with a red dot have been sold.

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Most pieces are eligible for payment plan options, email to inquire.

detail gallery

process videos / timelapses