New Realism 1973-1979

Between 1973-1979 John produced a series of large scale sprayed acrylic painting, influenced by American New Realism of the 1970s. It was a reaction to abstact expressionism, and the development of minimal art that had led to conceptual (non-object) art.

The development of New Realism particularly Photo-Realism, in its use of photographs and phtographic language, gave a new direction to figurative painting, with a conceptual source.

The large scale of John's paintngs and the cool, objective treatment of objects and figures are typical of an attitude which attempted to created an art that was both rational and direct in its appeal to the public.