Jason Houchen (Artist) 10/25/10

Work
Jason Houchen Hunters and Hunted 108"H x 48"W Woodburning

Jason Houchen Fallen Trees Spread No Seeds Woodburning 26"H x 24"W

Jason Houchen I Will Fight No More Forever Woodburning

Jason Houchen Adornment 22"H x 36"W Wood Burning on Maple, Cigar Bands, Carved Deer and Bird

Jason Houchen Hidden Evil 32"H x 22"W Wood burning, pigment, and cigar bands on wood

Jason Houchen Inferno Woodburning 35"H x 21"W


Bio

Jason Houchen is an American artist, raised and educated in the Midwest. He received his B.F.A. from the University of Missouri and his M.F.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Houchen's midwest roots greatly influence his sculptures, woodburnings and paintings. In his woodburnings as well as wood carvings, Houchen often uses a variety of mixed media papers, usually cigar labels, to frame or pattern. His work makes clear references to human migration to the American West, however, steps beyond such clarity with allusions to disjointed history, mythology and spirituality, and is said to "provoke more questions than answers." (Houchen) Houchen refers to himself as an "urban folk artist" and his style is often representative of folk, surrealism and street art. His work is represented by galleries in New Orleans and Chicago, where he now lives.

Jason Houchen.com/bio. accessed 10/24/10

*I discovered this artist during a visit to the Antieau Gallery in New Orleans yesterday. His work is new and emerging, making it difficult to find a lot of information, however, his representation and upcoming exhibitions should hopefully help with publicity. (Art Basel this December)


Relates

I find my work relates to Houchen's in a few ways. Most obvious, to me, is a similar concept of migration and evolution being represented through use of relevant animal imagery as well as historical and mythical references. Houchen's work has the unique quality of representation of and within the context of the work, with its particular American Midwest and West conceptual and material backdrop. I am seeking to represent a more universal quality in my work, while alluding to similar issues and channeling certain definite and particular settings or contexts. I find similar connections to Houchen's work as those I made with Migrations by Doug Aitken, my first artist post. However, beyond references to human migration's effect on indigenous species and evolution, Houchen's visual portrayal is considerably relatable to my concept. He carves animal mounts from wood and then burns in images, referencing the same issues of trophy symbolism humans value as indicators to their discoveries and feats. His carvings take on a surreal, lifelike quality, supplying more meaning behind the symbolic head, which I seek to portray in my work as well. (However, the taxidermy I use as a material informs different aspects of my concept due to its actual past existence.)


Quotations

"In Falling Trees Spread No Seeds, the namesake piece of the exhibition, Houchen creates a woodburning on a carved moose head. The prized game bust, this icon of Americana, hangs on the wall of La luz de Jesus much like it would in a Midwestern hunting lodge, but Houchen exquisitely depicts notable world characters on its long neck, bringing the discussion up a few notches from hunting to matters of historical importance. Martin Luther King Junior appears next to Abraham Lincoln and alongside Gandhi and John F. Kennedy."

Gibson, Allison. "Jason Houchen" Daily Serving. 16 Dec. 2008. Accessed 24 Oct. 2010. <>

"Through his wood burnings, sculptures, mixed media and paintings he has developed a style that coalesce his Midwest influences with these newly found worlds. Described as being full of life and death, spirits and spirituality, history, as well as memories, his work provokes more questions than answers."

Jason Houchen.com/bio. Accessed 24 Oct. 2010 <>

Interview

Unfortunately, I found no interviews with this artist.


Gallery

http://antieaugallery.com/home.html


Website

http://www.jasonhouchen.com/