John Beckmann and Catherine Readick
from the series As If, As Though
Artist Statement
"Our artistic practice investigates the intricate interplay between identity, performance, and the collective subconscious. Through our work, we explore how masks and personas shape the way we present ourselves and interact with others, particularly in communal or performative spaces. Together, we draw on the surreal and theatrical traditions of early 20th-century avant-garde movements, crafting images that challenge perceptions of individuality and unity.
In the submitted photographs, we immerse ourselves in the visual language of cabaret culture, inspired by the layered compositions of László Moholy-Nagy, Hannah Hoch, and German Expressionist Cinema. The tableau of costumed figures adorned with striking masks and exaggerated expressions reflects our fascination with the tension between concealment and revelation. This scene invites viewers to question the shared spaces where identity is both constructed and deconstructed.
Technically, we employ a hybrid approach, blending analog photography with digital manipulation to create a fragmented, dreamlike effect. Our process includes layering textures, distorting light, and intentionally distressing the image surface to evoke the fractured yet connected nature of human identity. These techniques allow us to craft images that feel timeless yet urgent, familiar yet disconcerting.
Through our practice, we seek to create visual experiences that engage viewers in examining the stories we tell ourselves and each other. Our work invites us all to reflect on the performative nature of existence and the ways we navigate the liminal spaces between reality and illusion."
In the submitted photographs, we immerse ourselves in the visual language of cabaret culture, inspired by the layered compositions of László Moholy-Nagy, Hannah Hoch, and German Expressionist Cinema. The tableau of costumed figures adorned with striking masks and exaggerated expressions reflects our fascination with the tension between concealment and revelation. This scene invites viewers to question the shared spaces where identity is both constructed and deconstructed.
Technically, we employ a hybrid approach, blending analog photography with digital manipulation to create a fragmented, dreamlike effect. Our process includes layering textures, distorting light, and intentionally distressing the image surface to evoke the fractured yet connected nature of human identity. These techniques allow us to craft images that feel timeless yet urgent, familiar yet disconcerting.
Through our practice, we seek to create visual experiences that engage viewers in examining the stories we tell ourselves and each other. Our work invites us all to reflect on the performative nature of existence and the ways we navigate the liminal spaces between reality and illusion."
Artist Bio
John Beckmann and Catherine Readick collaborate to create striking works that explore themes of identity, performance, and surrealism. Influenced by avant-garde movements, their practice merges photography, collage, and digital techniques to produce layered, dreamlike visuals that challenge ideas of selfhood, collective consciousness, and the tension between concealment and revelation. John holds a BFA from Parsons and is a recipient of a MacDowell Colony Fellowship and a Graham Foundation Grant in the Fine Arts. Catherine, originally from Pasadena, California, earned her BA in Art History and Comparative Literature from Sarah Lawrence College. Their combined expertise and shared vision bring a unique, poetic perspective to their collaborative practice.
