Never
January 17, 2017
John Egner, a visionary from the Cass Corridor era and a huge influence in the Wayne State Painting department, paved the way for young artists of all categories. Originally from Philadelphia, Egner got his graduate degree in Painting from Yale University in 1966 and then started teaching at Wayne State University in the '70s. Characteristically John is remembered for his connection to New York City, because he commuted between his studio there and Detroit, bringing a modern, fresh touch to the Detroit Art scene.
'Never' a piece that feels like a calculated explosion, with shapes, colors, and lines over and underlapping with one another on the canvas in a way that has no clear beginning or ending. Created in 1987, this piece feels reminiscent of technology by the way that each shape is organized on the plane. Egner plays with the juxtaposition between structure and spontaneity in his work, making paintings that are both loose and structured at the same time. The painting is similar to looking at an interface with multiple windows up. Each area, each shape is organized in a way that feels calculated, while maintaining the freedom within each space to have its own individual color and pattern going on.
Text by Emily Lane Borden