"I enjoy painting and that is what I do. Painting is a journey to simplify the complexity of existence."
Jon Groom, born in 1953 in Powys, Wales, has carved a unique path in contemporary art through his dynamic exploration of form, color, and space. His early education in sculpture at Cardiff College of Art gave way to painting, influenced by formative figures such as Terry Setch and Sean Scully. After completing his postgraduate studies at Chelsea School of Art in 1976 under Professor Ian Stephenson, Groom embarked on a creative journey marked by bold experimentation.
In 1977, Groom was awarded a fellowship in painting at Gloucestershire College of Art, which led to his first major opportunity—a Boise Travel Scholarship to New York. There, he executed his first wall painting, "New-arc-New Jersey," setting the stage for his lifelong interest in removing painting from the confines of the canvas. This time also included Groom's first solo exhibition at Riverside Studios in London, where he reflected on the emotional impact of seeing Mark Rothko's paintings at the Tate Gallery.
The late 1970s and early 1980s marked a period of exploration and exhibition for Groom, with pivotal works such as "Vertical Wall-Bound Arcs" showcased at the newly opened Nicola Jacobs Gallery in London, and participation in "The British Art Show," curated by William Packer. His involvement in the London art scene also led him to work at Riverside Studios, where collaborations with theater legends such as Samuel Beckett and Bruce McLean further influenced his multi-disciplinary approach.
Throughout the 1980s, Groom's artistic practice evolved with increasing international exposure. His work began to reflect his engagement with both the natural landscape and architectural space, as seen in his solo exhibitions in New York at the Ruth Siegel Gallery and in London at the Victoria and Albert Museum's "The Discovery of the Lake District." His connection to European art deepened with exhibitions in Munich and Milan, where his growing fascination with Renaissance painting and European modernism informed series such as "Flight, Storm, and Reformation."
By 1990, Groom's practice had entered a new phase. His "Evidence Paintings" series, begun at Lincoln Cathedral, would span the next five years, culminating in a major exhibition at the Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich, in 1994. This period also saw fruitful collaborations with master printers and publishers, producing works that synthesized his interests in proportion, color, and form. His engagement with Mexican culture, particularly the architecture of Luis Barragán, became a recurring influence, most notably during his residency at the Luis Barragán Museum in 1997.
The late 1990s and early 2000s saw Groom’s work shifting between large-scale projects, such as wall paintings for the Zentralinstitut für Kunstgeschichte in Munich, and more intimate, experimental pieces in watercolor. His growing interest in Eastern spirituality, particularly the teachings of J. Krishnamurti, began to inform his artistic philosophy, as did his travels to India and Mexico, where he created numerous works on paper and canvas.
Today, Jon Groom continues to challenge the boundaries of painting, seamlessly blending his explorations of architecture, spirituality, and landscape. In 2024, his long-overdue Survey Show at PULPO GALLERY offers a mini-retrospective, showcasing some of his most significant works from the past three decades. This exhibition serves as a powerful testament to the depth and evolution of Groom’s artistic vision.