Steering Committee, John Roth 1997

Chimps at Helm, Detail Steering Committee
John Roth, 1997

Adleta Galleries, Canaanville
16060 US 50
Athens, Ohio 45701.9302

740.592.1492
adleta@ohio.edu

“surf, turf and vapor,” sculpture/furniture by John R.G.Roth

Adleta Galleries was pleased to show, ‘surf, turf and vapor’ a retrospective of sculpture/furniture by
John R.G.Roth. These fantasized interpretations of this industrial aesthetic are rooted in his memories and life experiences. This internationally exhibited sculptor is an Athens’ resident. The exhibit ran from the 16th of April through June 11th. The opening was celebrated with the artist, along with music, and refreshing libation.

Roth’s pieces speak to a moment frozen in a time of bizarre incongruities. Often the absurd ship models or marine dioramas within the work echo a journey similar to that experienced in the movies: The City of Lost Children and Delicatessen, where nature collides with the machine.

John R.G.Roth has been creating a hybrid of sculpture and furniture through his wood or metal table-forms for over a decade. John’s superior and sensual craftsmanship allow these pieces to invite the viewer into their own fantastic ideas without interference.



STACK, John Roth 2003

In combination with John’s position at Ohio University, School of Art he has rigorously pursued his visual research in sculpture/furniture. He began using the ship model form in his sculpture upon his arrival in Athens, perhaps as a response to its landlocked location. His concepts and methods of execution have also been informed by his employment as a machinist and technician in a research laboratory where he fabricated lab apparatus, models, and prototypes of one-of-a-kind machines. When John reflected on those experiences, he said, “I got paid to break things, blow-up things and light things on fire.”
John’s wit and love of life meld into his serious expressions of art.

Father Goose, John Roth 2001