In the studio

Building space, line by line

The work reflects reinterpreted data and its place in our lives — as if translated line by line from one language into a more abstract one. Each painting decomposes information to its basic units — data point, pixel, byte, language — hinting at a source and rebuilding it into simple form.

G2 Gallery, Santa Fe — a film by Eric Minh Swenson

EMS LEGACY FILMS · 2025
John Vokoun at G2 Gallery, Santa Fe — a film by Eric Minh Swenson
Building space, line by line
Building space, line by line
Laser-cut panel — surface detail
Laser-cut panel — surface detail
Color bands — surface detail
Color bands — surface detail

Each field is drawn one line at a time with a rigger brush. Up close the surface is individual marks; at distance they fuse into a single vibrating color.

Elements of Duplicity (2014) — installation view
Elements of Duplicity (2014) — installation view

Algorithms and art

PROCESS

Some of the paintings are built from algorithms for reducing signal noise in an information system: taking a mean, or average, of an image — seeing the whole picture, then using that to understand the detailed view.

The result undulates at different viewing distances. The whole image stays just out of reach, even as the mind keeps grasping for recognition — observation translated through a system, not a window onto it.

Linear Function — surface in motion
The workbench
The workbench
Work in progress
Work in progress
Laying down a field, wet on wet
Blending a field, wet on wet
Blending a field, wet on wet
Turing Biomorphism (2016) — surface detail
Turing Biomorphism (2016) — surface detail

See the work

LOS ANGELES

Studio visits are available by appointment. To arrange one, or to see a particular series in person, write to the studio.