John Stutz

John (Jean) Stutz (born January 14, 1933) is a virtual artist who produces artworks (castings) made of reactive two component polyurethane resins, sculptures and installations. He became well known 2011 by his first big life performance on the Parade Square in Zurich, in front and in the favor of the major Swiss Banks. He lives and works in Rorschach and Pawling, New York.
Career
Born, in Rorschach, Switzerland, Stutz became an artist during his professional operations as a toolmaker with subsequent studies in business and chemistry, and later as CEO of the family holding company 1970-1998. Still today this group is active in the formulation of liquid semi finished chemicals and in installing sports surfaces.
Art
Stutz is a self-educated artist. He stands for in-house developed high tech liquid casting compounds and generally unknown application techniques. Inspired by famous expressionists, he created and exhibited first oil paintings in Zurich. He became introduced to the well known Swiss performer Harald Szeemann (1933-2005) who supported and advised John Stutz in order to develop his new, unknown way of creating art works that he has produced since 1998.
Starting in the 1990s, Stutz developed stepwise using semi-elastic polyurethane elastomers for creating art works by casting pictures up to 7 cm. thickness and in 3 dimensions. The new and henceforth unknown pouring techniques as an important part of his creative designs allowed John Stutz by means of computer, dosing and mixing equipment to create textured or bubble free, perfectly even surfaces in any colors.
Stutz' second activity of involves burning out sculptures of steel plates in thicknesses up to 30 cm/12 in. He demonstrates also a new cutting method by preparing foamed aluminium sheeting into 2m. triangle towers that he subsequently decorates later with colored polyurethane semi-foamed resins.
The number of his art works exceeds 600 pieces and they are presented in various museums (such as at the Kornhausmuseum Rorschach) as well as in New York galleries (such as at the A. Jain Marunauchy Gallery) or at well known expositions like the “Triennale de Paris”.
A special place of honor was granted to John Stutz in 2011 at the 10th St. Petersburg Biennale in Russia. The entire main entrance hall of the “Manege” was put at his disposal to show a container load of his castings and steel sculptures. The worldwide known Japanese Butoh Master Katsura Kan also used his steel sculptures for his stage decoration during his live dance-performances at the biennale opening.
Well known acquisitions of John Stutz artworks have been realized by FIFA, Zurich, the Collection Zurich Insurance, the Collection Sven Hotz, Zurich, City of Horgen (ZH) or displayed at the “Entrepreneur Forum Lilienberg” in Ermatingen (CH).
Installation and performances
The striking live performances of Stutz (each year since 2011) earned great acknowledgements as well as critiques. Especially the demonstrating performance 2011 “I love the 3 giants” in front of the entrances of these 3 banks, combined by a supporting flyer showed his solidarity to the attacked banks UBS, CS, and all Cantonal Banks by the media.
The disputed fall 2012 live performance at the staircase of “Swiss National Bank” was an attractive show presenting 300 golden nuggets (up to 30 cm. in diameter) wishing the Bank “good luck” for buying 500 Billion Euro supporting the Swiss Franc.
By means of the action “Curators” at the seasonal fall reopening of Migros Museum, Zurich, 2012, John Stutz opposed by means of a cage, pictures and token heads against the closed network of art tycoons directed towards lesser known artists. The flyer created for to this event was asking questions and contained suggestions for a more friendly “get-together”. At the request of the museum management, the police eventually removed the installation.
Expositions (selection)
* 2015 - Barcelona: Bienal de Arte
* 2015 - Berlin: B.AGL
* 2014 - St. Gall: Exposition Swiss Federal Administration Court
* 2014 - Rorschach: Installation "5 to 12" Museum im Kornhaus
* 2014 - Los Angeles: World Wide Art
* 2014 - Sculpture Park Sur En / Sent, Graubünden
* 2014 - Teheran: 1st Art Collect Iran
* 2014 - Constance: Rosenau-Park am See
* 2013 - New York: Amsterdam-Whitney Gallery
* 2013 - Shanghai: Shanghai Art Fair
* 2013 - Inselhotel Steigenberger, Sculpture Park
* 2013 - Baden-Baden: Exposition Altes Dampfbad
* 2013 - Sculpture Park Sur En / Sent, Graubünden
* 2013 - New York: A. Jain Marunouchi Gallery
* 2013 - Paris: Triennale de Paris
* 2012 - Rorschach: Sculpture Exposition Museum im Kornhaus
* 2012 - Zurich: Design Entry Hall Allreal-Business Center, Zollstrasse 62
* 2012 - Shanghai: Shanghai Art Fair
* 2012 - New York: A. Jain Marunouchi Gallery
* 2011 - Shanghai: Shanghai Art Fair
* 2011 - St. Petersburg: X Biennale "Manege"
* 2011 - New York: A. Jain Marunouchi Gallery
* 2010 - New York: A. Jain Marunouchi Gallery
Video documentation (selection)
* "Deer and Foxes", (2015): Live Performance, Waldrand, Horn, just Music
* "Public Viewing", (2014): Live Performance, in Arbon, just Music
* "The Bell Tower", (2014): Live Performance, Kornhausmuseum, Rorschach, German
* "The curators" (2013): Live Performance, Migros-Museum, Zurich, in English
* "John Stutz attacking Swiss National Bank", (2012): Live Performance at Swiss National Bank
* "I love the 3 giants" (2011): Live Performance at the Zurich Parade Square
Bibliography
* Thomas Tunberg (2014): World Wide Art LA; Catalogue.
* St. Galler Tagblatt, (17. Juni 2014): "Die Glocken des Anstosses".
* St. Galler Tagblatt, (19. April 2014): "Wenn 19 Glocken klingen".
* Monique Würz, Tatjana zu Schaumburg-Lippe (2013): Catalogue John Stutz.
* Françoise Icart (2013): Triennale de Paris; Catalogue.
* Jain Maronouchy (2012): Gallery House, New York; Catalogue.
* Monique Würtz (2012): Magazin "Kultur am Bodensee", Art Fantasies of John Stutz.
* Kultur am Bodensee, (September 2012): "The World as a Source of John Stutz with new art works".
* Valerie Gladstone, NY, (2012): "Exhibition Critics".
* St. Galler Tagblatt, (September 2012): "Stutz at Parade Square".
* Kultur am Bodensee, (10. Mai 2012): "Die Ideenwelt von John Stutz".
* Tamara Kudrigavtseva (2011): Biennale St. Petersburg; Catalogue and TV-Interview.
* Valerie Gladstone (2011): Affluent Pages, New York "Durable Works of Beauty".
* Russian ArtTV (2011): Report Biennale St. Petersburg.
* St. Galler Tagblatt, (11. November 2011): "Next Goal Moskau".
* St. Galler Tagblatt, (7. April 2011): "Love Letter in favor of the three Banks".
* ART news NY, (Oktober 2011): "Gallery Review" John Stutz".
* Swiss Television SRF (6. May 1993): "Schweiz Aktuell" Atelier Report.

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