Statement

“Figuring out how things work and discovering what components are necessary to create a fully functional machine intrigues me. Investigating the dynamics between combining the mechanical with the Biological is a recurring conceptual direction that often reveals itself as the focal point throughout much of my work. Representing machines in a metaphorical or literal direction frequently shifts from piece to piece. In the form of schematic drawings, I am able to define the function and purpose of created elements that border between real objects and imaginary creations. By using different labeling systems to illustrate and organize an object, I am able to provide a commentary on a multitude of subjects while creating complex, purpose-driven machines.”

Bio

Utilising a machine-based language and aesthetic, Justin Amrhein's work is generally based on environmentalism, drawing attention to our increasingly precarious climate crisis.  While rooted in drawing and painting, Amrhein's work takes on many forms, adopting the appropriate medium to realise the concept, such as video, sculpture and collage.  His body of work is extensive, ranging from drawings on paper to large-scale public installations. Amrhein received his BA at Humboldt State University and his MFA at San Jose State University. 

Amrhein's current exhibition, Dystopian Garden, part of the Maltese Diptych Project, is on view at Spazju Kreattiv. This will be followed by 3D Blueprint Network: Malta Test Station at MUŻA in Valletta, Malta. He participated in the 2020 Ali Youssefi Project residency in Sacramento, CA, and the FBAIR program in Palo Alto, CA, in 2018. His work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums, including the Spencer Museum of Art (Lawrence, Kansas), Ronald Feldman Gallery (New York, NY), Pierogi Gallery (Brooklyn, NY), Transmitter (Brooklyn, NY), and Honey Ramka (Brooklyn, NY). Amrhein's work has garnered reviews in publications such as The New Yorker, The Wall Street International, Ephemera New York City Art and Culture, Timeout Lisboa, and Art News.