Artist of the Month
June 2025
John Bannon
Chicagoan John Bannon works in a variety of media, including neon. His recent body of work in neon explores various representations of a pair of lips. The technical mastery required to work with glass, subtly bent to his will, excites Bannon the most about working in neon. He is represented by Ken Saunders Gallery, Chicago, IL.
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John Bannon
Artist Statement:
The process of making my work is always different. Sometimes it comes as a thought, a meaning, or feeling I have, and the need to address it, and then I look for the best way to present it. Other times it is the opposite, visualizing something and adding elements to give it a deeper meaning. Sometimes it begins with simply drawing on a blank piece of paper or stacking and arranging shapes. In any case I work on being sensitive to aesthetic opportunities in every situation I am in. No matter what time of day or night, whatever the circumstance, I am always on the lookout for a visual phenomenon that may strike me as unique and interesting. It can be a fleeting moment, where I get a distinct feeling of wonder and connection. It could happen naturally, before my eyes, or depend on how I choose to see it, literally and figuratively. I want to create a new experience for myself and the viewer. So I continue by composing a work based on this initial impression and combine it with formal aspects of art making, such as the use of light and shadow, positive/negative space, symbolism, craftsmanship, and serendipity, to name a few. I want the viewer to stop and look and move their eye around the work with a goal to inspire new ways of thinking that lead in a positive direction.
About John Bannon
John Bannon is a Chicagoan who works in a variety of media, often within the sphere of installations for public spaces. In addition to maintaining his studio practice, Bannon has been an educator at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a fabricator for other artists. He earned is master of fine arts in studio from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and his backelor of fine arts in painging at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has received numerous honors and awards for his work, which can be found in a number of public art projects. Bannon’s current work is mixed media and conceptual.
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Acknowledgment of Gallery:
We are grateful to Ken Saunders Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, for providing the Artist of the Month.
The Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass (AACG) is a not-for-profit organization and leading resource for glass collectors, art enthusiasts, artists, gallerists, museum personnel, and educators on all things related to glass art. AACG provides a collaborative place for robust conversations about glass art, including its production, techniques, and trends. We also encourage and support the glass community through annual grants and artist scholarships.
