Jon Groom
"Painting is a journey to simplify the complexity of existence.” (Jon Groom)
Jon Groom was born in Wales in 1953, studied Art from 1971-1978 culminating in a Master of Fine Arts Degree awarded by the Chelsea School of Art. He then traveled to America on a Boise Scholarship from the University of London. Since 1978 Groom’s work has been exhibited extensively around the world, including London, New York, Munich, Mexico City and Milan. In 1994 a major survey of Groom’s work was shown in the Städtische Galerie Lenbachhaus, Munich. In 1997 Groom exhibited in the Luis Barragan Museum in Mexico City. Recently Groom showed large-scale paintings at Ludwig Museum Koblenz and this year his work was included in an exhibition in London at Osborne Samuel entitled Masterpieces of Modern British Art: Selected works from the Derek Williams Trust and National Museum of Wales.
Since 1988 Groom has maintained a studio in Munich, Germany. He has lived for periods of time in New York and Italy and until recently spent much of each year in Wales, UK. For the last five years Groom has worked and traveled extensively in India.
“Painting creates a space, the artist works to give that space meaning, to fill it with unspoken silence which can go beyond our understanding into the realm of profundity.” (Jon Groom)
Groom’s work can be divided into three practices: the paintings, the watercolors and the wall works (wall paintings and large-scale multiple aquarelle paperworks).
By constantly referring to a reduced vocabulary and its repetition Grooms work can be compared to a Mandala or Mantra, seeking to clarify our visual world. “It is essential to make art which is deeply significant and which speaks directly to our souls. The visual aspects of geometry as discussed in Plato, the complexity of color and their symbioses must lead to an art work which is like food for the soul.
“Jon Groom’s works bare evidence of this constant confrontation with painting, nature, and reflections on existence and beauty. They allow participation in the purifications that the artist himself undergoes, in the firm resolve to perfect himself and not to be content with a – possibly false – truth, but to confer validity on thoughts and views beyond his own subjectivity.” (Reifenscheid, Beate, The Transmission of Color, Jon Groom - Between the Light, Prestel Verlag, 2006)
Born 1953 in Powys, Wales. Lives and works in Munich and in Bernried / Starnberger See.
Education and Promotions
| 1971-72 | Cardiff College of Art |
| 1972-73 | Sheffield Polytechnic |
| 1974-76 | Cardiff College of Art (Bachelor of Arts) |
| 1976-77 | Chelsea School of Art London, Prof. Ian Stephenson (Master of Arts) |
| 1977-78 | Fellow of Painting Scholarship, Gloucesterhire College of Art & Design, Cheltenham |
| 1978-79 | Boise Travel Scholarship, University of London, USA |
| 1987 | Artist in Residence Kulturreferat Munich, Villa Waldberta, Feldafing/Munich |
| 1990 | Artist in Residence Arts Council of Great Britain, Usher Art Gallery and Lincoln Cathedral |
| 1997-98 | Artist in Residence Casa Museo Luis Barragán, Tacubaya, Mexico City |
| 1998 | Artist in Residence Nordland Kunst- und Film School, Kabelvåg Lofoten, Norway |
| 2003 | Artist in Residence Guernsey College, Channel Islands, GB |
Wallpaintings and Installations
| 2005 | THE OUTVERSION PAINTINGS, Degussa Bank AG, Frankfurt |
| 2004 | JON GROOM & STEVEN SCOTT INSTALLATION, Art Frankfurt/Galerie König, Hanau/Frankfurt |
| 2003 | PAINTINGS FOR GENERAL ELECTRIC, HQ, Munich |
| 2001 | ROOMPAINTINGS GOLD IN GOLD, HypoVereinsbank, Fünf Höfe, Munich |
| 2000 | PAINTINGS FOR EM.TV & MERCHANDISING AG, Munich |
| 1999 | FIVE PART PAINTING, RED IN YELLOW GREEN, Gerling Konzern, Dusseldorf |
| 1998 | VERTICAL RED IN BLUE - HORIZONTAL RED IN BLUE, TWO PART WALLPAINTING, Treppenhaus Nordland Kunst- und Film School, Kabelvåg, Lofoten, Norway |
| 1997 | AXIS WALLPAINTING, TWO WALLS, ONE CEILING, Uniplan International HQ, Kerpen/Cologne (cat.) |
| 1996 | COPPER WALLPAINTING: D. LEGLER HOUSE, Herzogstr., Munich |
| 1995 | 1:1 WALLPAINTINGS AND WALLDRAWINGS, International Artists, Initiative Münchner Galerien für zeitgenössische Kunst, Künstlerwerkstatt Lothringer Str., Munich (cat.) |
| 1994 | ARENA WALLPAINTINGS (SIX WALLS), Stiftung für konkrete Kunst, Reutlingen |
| 1990 | EVIDENCE - LINCOLN CATHEDRAL, Lincoln, GB (cat.) |
| 1989 | INSTALLATION PAINTING FOR JET INTERIOR, Chemical Bank, New York |
| 1983 | FIVE SIDED FIGURE, FLOORPAINTING AND LIGHT INSTALLATION, collaboration with Rosemary Bitcher Dance Company & Jim Fulkerson, Dance Umbrella Festival, Riverside Studios, London, Theater Spazio Zero, Rome |
| 1982 | BIRD GOT TO FLY, FISH GOT TO SWIM, Arts Council of Great Britain, Oriel Gallery, Cardiff |
| 1981 | SHELL, FORCE-FIELDS AND SPACES, Rosemary Butcher Dance Company, Riverside Studios, London SALUTATION WALLPAINTING, Riverside Studios, London |
| 1978 | NEW-ARC - NEW JERSEY, Henry Steven Law Office, Newark, New Jersey, USA |
Print Editions
| 2003 | SIX LITHOGRAPHS IN AN EDITION OF THIRTY, published by Jon Groom & Ira Bartell, Cologne |
| 1995 | UNTITLED (CADMIUM LEMON, LAMP BLACK), edition of Thirty Screenprints, published by edition x, Verlag Gernot von Pape, Munich, printed at Ekkeland Gotz, Munich |
| 1994 | MAN AND THE SEA SHELL, Text by Paul Valéry, Artist's Book, Twenty-one Lithographs, published by edition x, Verlag Gernot von Pape, Munich, printed at Karl Imhof, Munich |
| 1993 | BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARK, Ten Aquatints in an edition of Twelve with Two Artist's Proofs, published by edition x, Verlag Gernot von Pape, Munich, printed at Thomas Sebening, Munich |
| 1989 | AVATAR SERIES AND PASSAGE SERIES, Seventy-seven Monotypes, Garner Tullis Print Studio, Santa Barbara, California |
| 1988 | AVA AVIO, Lithografien published by Wassermann edition e, printed at Karl Imhof, Munich |
Public Collections
Arts Council of Great Britain, London
Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Munich
Bayerische Vereinsbank, Munich
Castle Museum, Norwich
Chase Manhattan Bank, New York
Chemical Bank, London und New York
Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio
Congress Park Hanau
Contemporary Arts Society, London
Degussa Bank, Frankfurt
Deutsche Bank, Frankfurt
EM.TV & Merchandising AG, Munich
General Electric, Germany
Gerling Konzern, Cologne and Stuttgart
HypoVereinsbank, Munich
Kunstforening Trondheim, Norway
Lindner AG, Germany
MoMA Museum of Modern Art, New York
Mcloy, Milbank, Tweed, New York City
National Museum of Wales, Cardiff
Philadelphia Art Museum, Philadelphia
Postbank, Munich
Prudential Insurance Company, New York
NM Rothschild & Sons (C.I.) Limited
Städtische Galerie, Ingolstadt
Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich
Städtische Kunsthalle, Mannheim
Stiftung für Konkrete Kunst, Reutlingen
Uniplan International, Kerpen/Cologne
Victoria & Albert Museum, London
Solo exhibitions
| 2024 | JON GROOM, VV8 Gallery arte contemporanea, Reggio Emilia (I) (upcoming) JON GROOM - SURVAY SHOW, Pulpo Gallery, Murnau (upcoming) |
| 2022 | MIGRATORY BIRD, Galerie Nanna Preußners, Hamburg (with Mats Bergquist) |
| 2021 | MANTRAS & YANTRAS, Tushita Gallery of Japanese Art, Munich |
| 2019 | JON GROOM - SONJA LANDBERG, Tinghuset Delsbo (SE) |
| 2017 | ANGLES OF INTENT, Galerie Nanna Preußners, Hamburg (with Jo Schöpfer) |
| 2016 | I AM THAT, The Silver Paintings, 2015-2016, Lorenzelli Arte, Milan (I) |
| 2015 | SANDOKAI PAINTINGS, Galerie Nanna Preußners, Hamburg |
| 2011 | IN PRAISE OF SHADOWS, Schaltwerk Kunst Galerie Nanna Preußners, Hamburg |
| 2010 | Galleri Weinberger, Copenhagen (DK) (cat.) |
| 2009 | A LUMINOUS NIGHT'S JOURNEY, Städtisches Museum Engen (cat.) |
| 2008 | Galerie Felix Ringel, Dusseldorf |
| 2006 | BETWEEN THE LIGHT, Ludwig Museum Koblenz (cat.) SOTTO LA LUCE, Lorenzelli Arte, Milan (cat.) |
| 2005 | PAINTING REVEALS, NEW PAINTINGS AND WATERCOLOURS, Kath. Akademie in Bayern, Munich |
| 2004 | Galerie 422, Gmunden (with Sean Scully, cat.) |
| 2003 | WHEN MATERIAL BECOMES LIGHT, Guernsey College of Art & Design, Gallery, Channel Islands, GB (cat.) |
| 2000 | NEW PAINTINGS AND INSTALLATION, Galerie Paal, Munich (cat.) |
| 1999 | REFERENCE PAINTINGS 1999, Lorenzelli Arte, Milan (cat.) |
| 1998 | PAINTINGS, PRINTS AND STANDING PAINTINGS, Emporio Armani Gallery, Place du Grand Salon, Brussels (curated by Taché/Lévy) |
| 1997 | WORKS FROM 1981 TO 1997, Villa Waldberta, Feldafing/Munich |
| 1995 | WHEN MEASUREMENT IS REALIZED, THE COLOUR OF SPACE, Baukunst-Galerie, Cologne (cat.) |
| 1994 | EVIDENCE PAINTINGS, Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich (cat.) |
| 1993 | NEW PAINTINGS, Galerie Tanit, Munich |
| 1992 | THE POWYS PAINTINGS, Galerie Gebauer & Günther, Berlin |
| 1991 | NEW PAINTINGS, Galerie Tanit, Munich |
| 1988 | PAINTINGS MADE IN GERMANY AND ITALY, Nicola Jacobs Gallery, London (cat.) |
| 1987 | FLIGHT, STORM AND REFORMATION, NEW PAINTINGS, Galerie Wassermann/Edition e, Munich (cat.) |
| 1986 | NEW PAINTINGS, Nicola Jacobs Gallery, London |
| 1985 | PAINTING ON WOOD AND PAPERWORKS, Ruth Siegel Gallery, New York |
| 1983 | CALLING, CLEARING, SOPRANO, Rochdale Art Gallery, Rochdale, GB (cat.) |
| 1982 | PAINTINGS AND WALLPAINTING, Oriel Gallery, Arts Council of Great Britain, Cardiff, Wales (cat.) |
| 1981 | SALUTATIONS, Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, London |
| 1979 | VERTICAL WALL-BOUND ARCS, Nicola Jacobs Gallery, London (cat.) |
| 1978 | PAINTINGS, Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, London |
Group exhibitions
| 2024 | FARBE OHNE TITEL, Galerie Markt Bruckmühl (upcoming) BLIND DATE – THE COLLECTION MAXIMILIAN AND AGATHE WEISHAUPT IN DIALOGUE WITH THE COLLECTION LIAUNIG, Museum Liaunig (AT) |
| 2021 | LOOK AT THIS, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich |
| 2017 | PAINTING BLACK, Raum Schroth im Museum Wilhelm Morgner, Soest (cat.) |
| 2016 | VERKNÜPFT. Haleh Redjaian und die Sammlung, Museum für konkrete Kunst, Ingolstadt |
| 2015 | SCHWARZ AUF WEISS. Highlights aus der Sammlung Maximilian und Agathe Weishaupt und der Stiftung für Konkrete Kunst und Design, Museum für Konkrete Kunst, Ingolstadt |
| 2014 | PAINTING BLACK, The Sylvia Wald and Po Kim Art Gallery, New York City |
| 2013 | BEST OF, Künstler der Galerie, Galerie Nanna Preußners, Hamburg |
| 2011 | ABOUT PAINTING, The Sylvia Wald and Po Kim Art Foundation, Manhattan, New York (with Joe Barnes, Rupert Eder, Ivo Ringe) |
| 2010 | ARBEITEN AUF PAPIER - WORKS ON PAPER (with Rupert Eder, Christian F. Kintz, Ian McKeever, Ivo Ringe), Schaltwerk Kunst, Hamburg (now: Galerie Nanna Preußners) |
| 2009 | MiArt Art Now! Lorenzelli Arte, Milan |
| 2008 | MASTERPIECES OF MODERN BRITISH ART: SELECTED WORKS FROM THE DEREK WILLIAMS TRUST AND NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WALES, Osborne Samuel, London |
| 2007 | SHARED SPACE, Galleri Weinberger, Copenhagen (with Steven Scott) |
| 2006 | PITTURA, Mar & Partners Galleria, Turin |
| 2005 | JON GROOM, WALES/MUNICH, HIDE NASU, TOKYO/FRANKFURT, ERIC SNELL, GUERNSEY, Stiftung Starke, Berlin |
| 2004 | BLAUMACHEN, Kunstverein Traunstein (cat.) |
| 2003 | DIE ACHTSAMKEIT DES AUGENBLICKS - 5 MALER, Neuer Kunstverein Aschaffenburg und Galerie Kamp, Sylt (with Joe Barnes, Claudia Desgranges, Ivo Ringe, Jerry Zeniuk, cat.) |
| 2001 | MULTIPLES, Galerie Paal, Munich |
| 2000 | KÜNSTLER DER GALERIE, Galerie Paal, Munich |
| 1996 | GALLERY ARTISTS, Baukunst-Galerie, Cologne |
| 1995 | TUTTI GLI ARTISTI DELLA GALLERIA, Lorenzelli Arte, Milan |
| 1994 | THE INTERNATIONAL DIARY SHOW, Beuerberg/Munich |
| 1992 | CABINET PAINTINGS, Gillian Jason Gallery, London, Hove Museum und Art Gallery, Sussex, Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea, GB |
| 1991 | ARTISTS PRINTS, Galerie Hohenthal & Bergen, Munich |
| 1990 | SELECTED WORKS ON PAPER, Victoria Munroe Gallery, New York |
| 1989 | FIGURES, Galerie Municipale d’Art Contemporain, St. Priest, FRAC Rhone-Alpes |
| 1988 | THE PRESENCE OF PAINTING: ASPECTS OF BRITISH ABSTRACTION 1958-1988, Mappin Art Gallery Sheffield (touring exhibition, cat.) |
| 1987 | BLACK AND WHITE, Nicola Jacobs Gallery, London (cat.) |
| 1986 | ABSTRACTION, WORKS ON PAPER, Anne Berthoud Gallery, London |
| 1985 | WORKS ON WOOD, Helander Gallery, Palm Beach, Florida, USA |
| 1984 | SUMMER SHOW '84, Nicola Jacobs Gallery, London |
| 1983 | SUMMER EXHIBITION '83, Nicola Jacobs Gallery, London |
| 1982 | COLLABORATION, AN INSTALLATION, Nicola Jacobs Gallery, London |
| 1981 | SUMMER SHOW '81, Nicola Jacobs Gallery, London |
| 1980 | JOHN MEERE'S LIVERPOOL EXHIBITION 12, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool |
| 1979/80 | THE BRITISH ART SHOW, Arts Council of Great Britain, Mappin Art Gallery, Sheffield; Laing Art Gallery, Hatton Gallery and University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne; Arnolfini Gallery and Royal West of England Academy in cooperation with City Museum and Art Gallery, Bristol (cat.) |
| 1979 | THE FIRST EXHIBITION, Nicola Jacobs Gallery, London |
| 1978 | FELLOWS OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE COLLEGE OF ART, Cheltenham Art Gallery, Cheltenham (with Christopher Hamer and Heinz-Dieter Piesch) |
| 1977 | National Eisteddfod Exhibition, Wales |
