b. 1989
BFA Painting - Kent State University
Canton, OH <- home base / studio
A committed painter, Humm’s erratic and inconsistent practice acts as visual dialogues relating to contemporary life, varying theories and the history and act of painting itself. Images may have simple, decorative themes while others are based on diverse personal concerns. Each piece, however, can be articulated depending on the goal or intention. Humm’s work utilizes experimentation, play, and a diverse range of sources and marks - resisting a single way of making/seeing. Art making and painting in particular, provides a playground to explore the wordlessness of experience.
Like the work, Humm’s inspirational sources can be equally as varied. He uses photographic imagery both collected and captured with his iPhone, drawings, 3D Printed stencils, rules, and automatic (intuitive) drawing/painting applications as foundations for his paintings. Despite criticism, Humm refuses to confine himself to a cohesive style and way of making. After all, art mimics life and variety is the spice of life. He encourages all humans to develop their own visual language and art making practice to enhance and distinguish their miraculous existence.
Josh Humm’s studio practice spills over into decorative art, commissions, and residential/commercial painting services for his company UNTITLED PAINTING CO.
On the Camouflage Paintings… (4/27/23)
In our current "post-truth" world that transpires simultaneously online and IRL, facts and reality are often distorted or manipulated. Camouflage serves as a metaphor for the various ways in which people try to conceal or obscure in order to fit in or gain acceptance and influence. Through my art, I want to challenge viewers to question their assumptions about what is real or not real. I aim to highlight the complex relationship between the human desire to blend in and the urge to stand out.
By using paint as my medium, I replicate and layer to create rich surfaces that add visual interest to each painting. My approach to each work is playful and individualized, with each piece embodying its own unique execution. This is intentional, as I believe that the diversity of styles in my work reflects the complexity of the human experience.
Ultimately, my goal as an artist is to use these paintings to engage viewers in a dialogue about the meaning of truth and authenticity in a world where these concepts are increasingly elusive. Through my art, I hope to inspire people to reflect on their own relationship to truth and the ways in which they navigate modern life or their own creative practice.