John Angus investigates the use of print in visual reproduction, and the role of art in maintaining social power.
He is intrigued by paintings of the “annunciation”. The christian god sends an angel to ‘announce’ that the virgin Mary will bear a holy child. It is a moment when two worlds touch, spiritual and mundane. It can also be regarded as a meeting of myth and matter, imagination and reality.
This series of screen-prints reduces some annunciation paintings to their basic structure. The architectural space is shown by white lines on a flat background. The virgin silhouette is printed with mud, the angel with transparent silver ink.
Angus used to design and screen-print posters for arts events throughout the UK. An AA2A placement in 2013-14 at ArtLab, University of Lancashire, provided a return to printmaking, and he has continued to use those facilities.
His work is in several public collections including the V&A. His recent prints have been exhibited widely in the UK and in China. He won first prize in the Lancashire Open 2018.
He was director of Storey Gallery in Lancaster which showed a contemporary art programme for 20 years. He currently runs StoreyG2, exploring landownership history.
