From the three patriarchs of Zion Canyon to the swamps of Louisiana to the immense waterfall of Niagara Falls, Johannes Bok‘s landscapes evoke the juxtapositions and proportions of dreams. His solo exhibition, Mont Blanc on wood bee Zolla/Lieberman Gallerydraws us to the blurred line between the familiar and the uncanny.
The Bozeman artist is known for his eccentric, often life-size wooden sculptures that draw on folklore, personal memories and everyday observations. Figures are sometimes hybridized with other objects, and idiosyncratic drawings on wooden panels reveal vast landscapes populated by anthropomorphic plants and dramatic rock pinnacles.
The works inside Mont Blanc on wood covers a range of places and references, focusing on landscapes where things may feel a little ‘off’. The desert stares back in ‘Cactus Grove (No. 13)’, and in ‘Lighthouse (No. 18)’, a light station in the middle of a desert lake shines mainly on barren, rocky landforms.
“Buck reflects on social and political realities, environmental concerns and the eccentricities of human behavior, all while maintaining a sense of humor and a deep commitment to craft,” says the gallery. “His art combines storytelling with formal clarity, inviting viewers into a world where the familiar becomes speculative and symbolic.”
Mont Blanc on wood continues through August 8 in Chicago.
