John Paul Fauves (b. 1980) is a contemporary Costa Rican Artist who lives and works in San Jose. Heavily influenced by the Fauvist movement of the early 20th century - John Paul seeks to eternally question and challenge viewers. His themes deal with all aspects of the self: temptation, addiction, and redemption being prominent throughout his works.
John Paul formulated much of his technique and subject matter under the guidance of Joaquin Rodriguez Del Paso throughout the 90s and early 2000s - and then spent fifteen years developing his signature fusing of pop culture icons with sinister and ever-changing elements. "A Loss of Innocence" - a theme conceived in 2015 was introduced to the NYC art scene with a solo show with The TAX Collection. This series dealt with the innocence we observe in children (for John, this was his young son) and how we grapple with knowing they will inevitably lose this fragile worldview as they are exposed to the cruelty and beauty of the outside world.
Ever since I was a little kid, I have always struggled to see how I fit into this world. I struggled with being born into a structure that depends on people's willingness to change and fit in.
I always knew I wanted to do art, but I have faced many rejections as an artist since I was 15 years old and started to paint. Because of those rejections, I followed my family's expectations, studied business, got a master's degree, and got a desk job.
After working the rat race for a few years, I ended up falling heavily into drugs. It was some kind of a paradox because they became my freedom even though they almost killed me. I could also detach myself from the fear of what society was thinking of me through that suffering. I was at my worst period, and the judging didn't kill me as I thought it would.
When you lose it all and end up on the streets, you learn to not care about anything but do what's good for you and your family. What other people think stops mattering.
So I finally followed my dream and started making art for myself. I found the fauvist movement, where my name came from. The name essentially translates to the wild beast, and artists in the movement like Matisse were considered as a wild beast by the French oligarchy & art critics. Even their techniques were wild, sometimes painting straight from the tube and using their hands instead of brushes.
Starting to paint in this crazy way helped me avoid all my temptations.
Creating art turned into this visceral experience where I could channel my physical, spiritual, and mental energy. When judgment is gone, you feel the freedom to create. I started to paint wearing a mask so I could create without ego. I could detach myself from the idea that something has to be in a certain way so it will be lived.
The masks are a life project, I've been focused on masks for 18 years (since I started painting). It is also partly to show people that being connected to myself without caring how you look to others is rewarding. Finding your connection between mind and soul is above all else, and I try to signify that through my art.
You only have one breath in this lifetime and using it to become what you think others want you to become is a waste, in my opinion.
