Dear John at Adams and Ollman

Artists: James Castle, Evgeny Antufiev, Katherine Bradford, Andrew Cranston, Vaginal Davis, Lois Dodd, Ficus Interfaith, Nick Goss, Jessica Jackson Hutchins, Chris Johanson, David Korty, Isaac Tin Wei Lin, Sarah McEneaney, Ryan McLaughlin, Jeffry Mitchell, Dina No, Hilary Pecis, Conny Purtill, Emily Mae Smith, Becky Suss, Ricky Swallow, Willa Wasserman

Exhibition title: Dear John

Venue: Adams and Ollman, Portland, US

Date: March 19 – April 24, 2021

Photography: all images copyright and courtesy of the artists and Adams and Ollman, Portland

March 19, 2021—Adams and Ollman (Portland, OR) and JTT (New York, NY) in collaboration with Fleisher/Ollman Gallery (Philadelphia, PA) are pleased to present Dear John, a bi-coastal exhibition conceived as a special tribute to the legacy of maverick art dealer John Ollman (Fleisher/Ollman, Philadelphia) on the 50th anniversary of his career. Dear John illustrates how Ollman—one of the preeminent champions and scholars of self-taught art in the United States— has challenged conventional hierarchies, brought non-traditional art forms to light, and pursued varied interests from ethnographic to 20th and 21st Century self-taught art.

Attributed with championing Bill Traylor, Martín Ramírez, James Castle, Philadelphia Wireman, William Edmondson, Henry Darger, and countless others, John Ollman is one of the—if not the —leading advocates for self-taught artists, establishing their legitimacy in collecting and the contemporary art market. Ollman was a pioneer in dissolving labels, with an emphasis on identifying an artwork’s quality regardless of how it was classified. Starting off in the ’70s as the director of Janet Fleisher Gallery, he started showing works by African, Oceanic, and self-taught artists when it was unstylish.

Ollman’s leadership is also marked by empowering younger voices, playing a crucial role in the origin of Amy Adams’ and Jasmin Tsou’s respective galleries and fostering a new generation of art dealers presenting self-taught artists within a contemporary art context. “It occurs to me now that we instinctively wished to spread John’s lessons to others,” relays William Pym, who worked closely with John at Fleisher/Ollman in the early aughts.

The west coast iteration of Dear John at Adams and Ollman will feature major works by James Castle (1899–1977) in conversation with a range of works by contemporary artists including Katherine Bradford, Vaginal Davis,

Lois Dodd, Jessica Jackson Hutchins, Jeffry Mitchell, Emily Mae Smith, Jessi Reaves, Becky Suss, Ricky Swallow, Willa Wasserman, among others. Ollman has a special relationship with Castle’s work; he first exhibited Castle in 1998 and continued to champion his work and career from the discovery stage through recognition by major museums. Much like Ollman’s direct and indirect influence on the field of self-taught art and new generations of gallerists, artists, and writers, Castle’s work continues to reverberate. The exhibition is accompanied by a text written by UK-based gallerist and writer, William Pym: https://adamsandollman . com/See – it – All – William-Pym

The east coast iteration at JTT will include artists that John Ollman enthusiastically shared with Jasmin Tsou during the formation of her program, as well as artists that JTT now represents as a result of Ollman’s influence on her understanding of art history. This presentation will include works by Marlon Mullen, Diane Simpson, Bill Walton, James Castle, Felipe Jesus Consalvos, William Hawkins, Philadelphia Wireman, Eugene Von Bruechenhein, Joseph Yoakum, William Edmondson, and others.

Coinciding with the presentations at Adams and Ollman and JTT, the online archival presentation “Back Stories” by Fleisher/Ollman will be available at the gallery’s website: https://www.fleisher-ollmangallery.com/

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In collaboration with Fleisher/Ollman Gallery (Philadelphia), and conceived as a special tribute to the maverick art dealer John Ollman, Adams and Ollman is pleased to present a group exhibition featuring major works by James Castle (1899– 1977) in conversation with a range of contemporary artists. The exhibition will celebrate John Ollman’s 50th anniversary as an art dealer and his legacy as one of the preeminent champions and scholars of self-taught art in the United States. Ollman has challenged conventional hierarchies, championed a wide range of artforms, and pursued varied interests from ethnographic to 20th and 21st century self-taught art in his fifty-year career. We celebrate John Ollman with a presentation of works by James Castle, whose work Ollman first exhibited in 1998 and continued to champion from the discovery stage through recognition by major museums.

Born profoundly deaf and believed never to have learned to read, write, or sign, James Castle spent his lifetime making art on his family’s farm in Idaho. Creating sophisticated drawings, books, and sculptures from humble materials such as discarded envelopes, matchboxes, twine, and soot, Castle produced a complex body of work: one that is not only deeply personal—as it intimately documents the artist’s life and surroundings—but also provides the viewer with a fascinating glimpse into rural American life and landscape of the last century.

Dear John includes examples of Castle’s sensitive, atmospheric drawings on unfolded matchboxes. On one side of these iconic works, Castle documents details of the remote landscape surrounding him— barns, telephones poles, trees, and mountains. On the other, he details the interior of his family’s home and barns. These domestic objects and animals are also the subject of several sculptural constructions fashioned from cardboard, string, and pigment, which are on view along with examples of his artist books, “symbol pages” and patterned drawings.

The exhibition will bring these select works by Castle together with paintings, drawings, sculpture, and works on paper by contemporary artists that share key themes and universal impulses that cross time, place, and intention. Much like Ollman’s direct and indirect influence on the field of self-taught art and new generations of gallerists, artists, and writers, Castle’s work continues to reverberate.

“My training was in sculpture and when I first saw James Castle’s work in person, I felt it was so dialed into the physicality of making work—from his drawings to constructions, to his language and books. Contemporary artists bonded with the undiluted passion, depth and meaning found in his creativity and remain his most steadfast champions.”

—John Ollman

Coinciding with the presentation at Adams and Ollman will be a companion exhibition at JTT (New York) and an online archival presentation by Fleisher/Ollman. The exhibition will be accompanied by a text by William Pym.

Dear John, 2021, exhibition view, Adams and Ollman, Portland

Andrew Cranston, (We are) family, 2020, distemper and bleach on hardback book cover, 11.75h x 9.63w in, 29.85h x 24.45w cm

Andrew Cranston, Da da da, 2020, oil and varnish on hardback book cover, 7.63h x 5.88w in, 19.37h x 14.92w cm

Evgeny Antufiev, Untitled, 2020, bronze, patina, 12.25h x 7.25w in, 31.12h x 18.42w x 1.91d cm

Chris Johanson, With Impermanence, 2018-21, Acrylic on canvas, artist’s frame, 10.13h x 21.50w in, 25.72h x 54.61w cm

Chris Johanson, And now with, 2019-21, Acrylic on canvas, artist’s frame, 16.13h x 18.13w in, 40.96h x 46.04w cm

Conny Purtill, The Ground: Landscape (A), 2021, pencil on found paper in artist’s cardboard frame, 10.94h x 8.44w in, 27.78h x 21.43w cm

Conny Purtill, The Ground: Landscape (B), 2021, pencil on found paper in artist’s cardboard frame, 10.94h x 8.44w in, 27.78h x 21.43w cm

Conny Purtill, The Ground: Landscape (C), 2021, pencil on found paper in artist’s cardboard frame, 10.94h x 8.44w in, 27.78h x 21.43w cm

Conny Purtill, The Ground: Landscape (D), 2021, pencil on found paper in artist’s cardboard frame, 10.94h x 8.44w in, 27.78h x 21.43w cm

David Korty, Word Painting (Minutes), 2017, flashe, ink, paper on canvas, 40h x 30w in, 101.60h x 76.20w cm

Dina No, Untitled, 2021, glazed stoneware, 4.50h x 4w in, 11.43h x 10.16w cm

Dina No, Untitled, 2021, glazed stoneware, 6.50h x 5.50w in, 16.51h x 13.97w cm

Emily Mae Smith, Peplum Perversion drawing, 2015, pencil on paper, 9.50h x 6.50w in, 24.13h x 16.51w cm

Emily Mae Smith, drawing for Madame X, 2016, pencil on paper, 3.50h x 4w in, 8.89h x 10.16w cm

Ficus Interfaith, Fig Tree Door, 2018, concrete, marble, glass, brass, walnut, 106h x 60w in, 269.24h x 152.40w cm

Isaac Tin Wei Lin, Dark Matter, 2021, ink and paint marker, 30h x 22.25w in, 76.20h x 56.52w cm

James Castle, Untitled (Red Window Construction), n.d., soot, spit and colored pulp on found paper, 6.88h x 3.75w in, 17.46h x 9.53w cm

James Castle, Untitled (Chair), n.d., mixed media paper pulp, color of unknown origin, 3.50h x 3.25w in, 8.89h x 8.26w cm

James Castle, Untitled (Pink Dream House with Yellow Walkway), n.d., color of unknown origin on found paper, 4.50h x 4.75w in, 11.43h x 12.07w cm

James Castle, Untitled (Interior with phonograph / barrels with checkered wallpaper), n.d., soot and saliva on found paper, 5.25h x 7.25w in, 13.34h x 18.42w cm

James Castle, Untitled (Five Figures), n.d., color of unknown origin on found paper, 5.50h x 11w in, 13.97h x 27.94w cm

James Castle, Untitled (Small friend, yellow hair, gray coat, striped skirt), n.d., soot and spit on found paper, 4.50h x 2.25w in, 11.43h x 5.72w cm

James Castle, Untitled (Cyrillic inspired letterforms and dollar signs), n.d., soot and spit on found paper, 4.25h x 8.25w in, 10.80h x 20.96w cm

James Castle, Untitled (House with trees/shed), n.d., soot and saliva on found paper, 5.50h x 7.38w in, 13.97h x 18.73w cm

James Castle, Untitled (Shed with sawhorse/shed), n.d., soot and saliva on found paper, 5.50h x 7.38w in, 13.97h x 18.73w cm

James Castle, Untitled (Abstract Figure in Crosshatch Patterns), n.d., soot and saliva on found paper, 4h x 6.88w in, 10.16h x 17.46w cm

James Castle, Untitled (Abstract patterns), n.d., soot and saliva on found paper, 6.38h x 5.50w in, 16.19h x 13.97w cm

James Castle, Untitled (Blue pictographs with flags, heads, angels), n.d., color of unknown origin on sugar bag, 3.75h x 8.50w in, 9.53h x 21.59w cm

James Castle, Untitled (Chesterfield Calendar Book), n.d., soot and saliva with string on found paper, 3.38h x 3.13w in, 8.57h x 7.94w cm

James Castle, Untitled (Goose), n.d., soot and saliva on found paper with string, 5.50h x 7.25w in, 13.97h x 18.42w cm

James Castle, Untitled (Landscape with Structures), n.d., soot and saliva on found paper, 3.25h x 5.25w in, 8.26h x 13.34w cm

Jeffry Mitchell, Gallo Claudio, 2021, Glazed ceramic, 23h x 18w x 6.50d in, 58.42h x 45.72w x 16.51d cm

Katherine Bradford, Standing Figures for Castle, 2020, acrylic on canvas, 40h x 30w in, 101.60h x 76.20w cm

Katherine Bradford, Tall house and Swimmers, 2020, acrylic on canvas, 16h x 12w in, 40.64h x 30.48w cm

Lois Dodd, House as Noah’s Ark, 1978, oil on masonite, 12h x 15w in, 30.48h x 38.10w cm

Lois Dodd, Barn Interior, 1986, oil on masonite, 12h x 12w in, 30.48h x 30.48w cm

Sarah McEneaney, Spring Summer 2019, 2019, acrylic and collage on wood, 48h x 72w in, 121.92h x 182.88w cm

Nick Goss, Yellow Room, 2020, watercolour on paper, 11.02h x 11.02w in, 28h x 28w cm

Hilary Pecis, Sleeping Dog, 2021, acrylic on canvas, 22h x 18w in, 55.88h x 45.72w cm

Ryan McLaughlin, Untitled, 2017, oil on linen on MDF, framed, 36h x 25w in, 91.44h x 63.50w cm

Ricky Swallow, Chair with Crooks, 2021, patinated bronze, 36h x 20w x 6d in, 91.44h x 50.80w x 15.24d cm

Willa Wasserman, Still life [dyed daisies, manzanita, sunflower], 2020, oil on linen, 13h x 11w in, 33.02h x 27.94w x 1.91d cm

Becky Suss, Paper Doll’s House (from The Paper Doll’s House of Miss Sarah Elizabeth Birdsall Otis, aged Twelve), 2021, oil on canvas, 11h x 14w in, 27.94h x 35.56w cm

Vaginal Davis, Julian Eltinge as Vesta Tilley, 2018, watercolor pencil, nail varnish, lip stain, eye shadow, glycerin, hydrogen peroxide, witch hazel, coconut oil, cocoa butter, perfume, hairspray, Anacin Fast Pain Relief Tablets, Excedrin Migraine & Headache Tablets, Lydia E. Pinkham Women’s Compound and Health Tonic, 4.10h x 3w in, 10.41h x 7.62w cm