John R. Anderson Expanded is a catalogue that presents the third large-scale exhibition and sale of work by artist John R. Anderson.
This collection showcases 41 newly discovered paintings retrieved from the artist's studio in Yankton, South Dakota-each a testament to his lifelong commitment to exploration and reinvention. It not only highlights the latest chapter of Anderson's artistic journey but also pays tribute to the visionary spirit that defined his career. With Expanded, we celebrate an artist who never ceased to push the boundaries of Lyrical Abstraction, an artist who saw creativity as an ever-unfolding process.
"These paintings of John Anderson's need to be seen by a wider public. They clearly reflect nature, bother personal and public. He adds a kind of darkness and light to his abstractions that corresponds to his feelings within." -- Ronnie Landfield, American Abstract Painter
"I really lit it...it is rich and painterly and has a very rhapsodic quality to it." -- Conor Jordan, Deputy Chairman, Senior Specialist, Christie's Impressionist and Modern Art, New York
"These paintings are beautiful. They remind me of the best mid-century abstract works now hanging in major museums world-wide: the intuitive, sensual, loose and harmonious compilation of design, brushwork, and color that defines this genre. In each piece, I see something new. I feel something raw. I sense a playful experimentation. Each painting exhibits a deep knowledge of color theory and harmony. This engrossing body of work from this prolific artist is sophisticated, intriguing, and original. I am impressed. I am hooked." -- Kathryn Marsh Riedinger, Award-winning Painter and Plein Air Art Instructor
"The combinations of poured, scraped and brushed layers of paint are a part of a process of call and response, an intuitive and critical engagement with decision-making. Anderson works intuitively in response to process and looks for the right balance between conscious control and instinctual excitement." -- South Dakota Art Museum
"Well organized abstraction always creates a visual language which refers to nothing but the painted world in front of the viewer to draw upon. How well that language communicates determines the success or failure of the art. In my opinion, the art of John Anderson speaks volumes." -- Dave Ember, Award-winning Illustrator
73 Art Agency develops, preserves, and promotes the creative works of visual artists worldwide. As a global agency specializing in pop-up galleries, online sales, appraisals, and consulting, they keep original art alive and celebrated in homes, businesses, and public spaces. Their overall mission is to create a fun, less intimidating art scene and experience. 73 Art Agency was founded in 2015 and is based in Colorado.
John R. Anderson was born in Yankton, South Dakota, in 1931. As a student of the Minneapolis School of Fine Arts, he participated in Oskar Kokoschka's symposia in 1952, then earned his BFA at the University of Denver School of Art in 1958, when Vance Kirkland was its director. In the late 1960s, Anderson painted extensively in Mexico, inspired by pre-Columbian art. He held his first major show at the Guadalajara Jalisco State Gallery, however, the revolutionary abstract art was met with overtly hostile criticism. Anderson moved to London to pursue his artistic aspirations. In 1971, he returned to Yankton to paint in isolation as he developed a deep and authentic form of personal expression. Although Anderson held a solo show at the Yankton Area Arts Association at G.A.R. Hall in 2009, his mystifying story and paintings remained hidden from the rest of the world. In November 2017, a 73 Art Agency team traveled to meet Anderson and tour his studio. In April 2018, 51 of his lyrical abstract paintings were selected and showcased for the exhibition Uncovered in Colorado. In 2019, works presented in this catalogue were shown at the 73 Art Agency Skybox art exhibition. In March 2020, another small selection of paintings were displayed at The South Dakota Art Museum and two acquired for the museum's permanent art collection. John R. Anderson passed away in Yankton in 2021, undeniably leaving his mark on the world of art.
