JOHN R. THOMPSON

In México he currently resides in México City and Mérida, Yucatán.
In the United States he resides in Fire Island Pines, New York.

1947: BORN SCHENECTADY, NY USA
1969: BA DEPAUW UNIVERSITY, ART/ENGLISH
1969 - 1970: THE VERSHIRE SCHOOL, Vershire VT teaching at an experimental high school which included a two month residency program in México. I.E. we drove to México in an old school bus, camping and holding classes in the mountains near Ciudad Victoria and on the ocean north of Veracruz
1970 - 1972: UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, Studied Ceramics and received an MA, while narrowly escaping the draft and being sent to Vietnam
1972 - 1980: LAKE PLACID SCHOOL OF ART, Established, with associates, a two year, post secondary school of art
1981 - 1982: OHIO UNIVERSITY, Visiting artist in Ceramics
1982: ARTPARK, Chosen for a summer residency in Lewiston, New York
1983 - 1985: WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY, Teaching: 2D and 3D design
1985: Moved to New York City
1985 - 2002: PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN, Teaching 3D Design in freshman year
1995 - 2002: FRESHMAN YEAR COORDINATOR OF 3D DESIGN FACULTY, Parsons School of Design.
In addition to teaching was responsible for designing the 3D curriculum and instituting it
1996 - 1997: As 3D coordinator traveled to Korea and Malaysia to do consultations and conduct workshops at the Parson's satellite programs in those countries
2003: Teaching experimental classes in the Digital Design Graduate Program, Parsons School
of Design
2003 - 2006: Stops painting to pursue Architectural Design Projects on Fire Island and in México
2004 - 2007: MÉRIDA, YUCATÁN, MÉXICO, designs and supervises the 3 year restoration of the 16th century house. Briefly, turns it into a guest house. Hated running a guest house and exited the hospitality business after 6 months
2007: Begins making art again
2011: MÉXICO CITY, Buys an apartment in Juárez, CDMX
2011 - 2012: Starts to curate exhibits in CDMX and Mérida
2014 - PRESENT DAY:  México City, established “108ag_ projects” an alternative noncommercial
exhibition space. Its focus is on unusual combinations of Mexican and international art (particularly
painting), with design works and common objects

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2023: SALÓN SILICON GALLERY: Abstract painting, México City, Mx. Curated by Carlos Palacios
2020: LA CÚPULA, Mérida, México. A decade in red black and white
2008: LA CLÍNICA ARTE CONTEMPORÁNEO, Mérida, México. John R. Thompson and Emilio Said
1997: LUISE ROSS GALLERY, New York, NY. One Person Show
1993: CATHEDRAL ST. JOHN THE DIVINE, New York, NY. Order Out of Chaos
1992: LUISE ROSS GALLERY, New York, NY. One Person Show
1991: LUISE ROSS GALLERY, New York, NY. One Person Show
1990: LUISE ROSS GALLERY, New York, NY. One Person Show
1987: SOHO CENTER FOR VISUAL ARTS, New York, NY. Sculpture
1986: DULUTH ART INSTITUTE: Duluth, MN. One Person Show
1982: CARL SOLWAY GALLERY: Cincinnati, OH. One Person Show

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2023: OLIMPO, La Estructura del Impacto, Mérida, Mx.
2022: MATERIAL ART FAIR, Salón Silicon Gallery, Guadalajara, Mx.
2021: MÉRIDA ART PROJECTS (MAP), “Onagra“, Mérida, Yucatán, México
2020: ALUXIIK GALLERY, “Wonder Chamber“, curated by Ignacio Pardo, Tulum, México
2020: UNIVERSIDAD DEL CLAUSTRO SOR JUANA, “La Amenaza“, Ciudad de México
2019: 108_AG PROJECTS, Ciudad de México, “Forging Connections“
2018: LA BUENA ESTRELLA, Ciudad de México, “Polar Opposites“, John R. Thompson and Christian Albrecht
2016: WE ARE TODOS, Ciudad de México “Lava & Kryptonite“, Pedro Camarena and John R. Thompson
2015: 108_AG PROJECTS, Ciudad de México “Luxe/Lujo” Gorgeous textiles combined with art
108_AG PROJECTS, Ciudad de México “Ripple Effect” JRT dialogue project
2014: GORILLA GALLERY, Oaxaca, México “Holes” JRT dialogue project
2014: 108_AG PROJECTS, Ciudad de México “Six Degrees of Separation”
2013: GALLERIE ALFRED BOTTEGER, Bonn, Germany, Reunión México-Alemania
2012: MANOLO RIVERO FRONT GROUND, Mérida, México “Visceral Beauty” JRT dialogue project
2011: ISABEL LA CATÓLICA 97, Ciudad de México “Piel/Skin”
JARDÍN BOTÁNICO DE LA ERMITA SANTA ISABEL: Mérida, México “Hortus”
2010: GALERIE IM TRAKLHAUS, Salzburg, Austria “Piel/Skin/Haut”
HOTEL POSADA CENTRAL, Mérida, México “Piel/Skin”
2003: LUISE ROSS GALLERY, New York NY, “Summer Show”
2001: LUISE ROSS GALLERY, New York NY, “Wet”
1998: FORUM KONKRETE KUNST/ GALLERÍA AM FISCHMARKT: Erfurt, Germany  “Immerzeit”
1996: ACP VIVIAN EHRLI GALLERY, Zurich, Switzerland “Anniversary Show”
LUISE ROSS GALLERY, New York NY, “Extensions”
FINE ARTS MUSEUM, Long Island, Hempstead, New York "Heat Exhaustion"
1995-1996: LUISE ROSS GALLERY, Ney York NY, “90s Abstraction”
CHAMPION INTERNATIONAL GALLERY, Stamford CT, “Paintings on Wood”
NEY YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, New York NY, “Irrational Landscapes”
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, Binghamton, Binghamton, "Irrational Landscapes"
ART INITIATIVES, New York NY, “Material Verité”
PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN, New York NY, Faculty Leave Show
1993: ARKANSAS ART CENTER, Little Rock AK, “Collectors Drawing Show”
1992: FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY, Miami FL, “Surface Tension”
LUISE ROSS GALLERY, New York NY, “Transparency”
ARKANSAS ARTS CENTER, Little Rock AK, “Collectors Drawing Show”
VERO BEACH CENTER FOR THE ARTS, Vero Beach FL, “Collectors Show”
1991: WEATHER-SPOON GALLERY, University of NC, Greensboro, NC “Work on Paper”
1990: WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART: Phillip Morris Building, New York NY, Champion Plaza, Stamford, CT. “Collectors Drawing Show”
ARKANSAS ARTS CENTER: Little Rock AK, “Collectors Drawing Show”
1989: LUISE ROSS GALLERY, New York NY, “The Case for Plywood”
SCHAFLER GALLERY/PRATT INSTITUTE, Brooklyn NY, “Poetry and Process”
PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN GALLERY, New York NY, “Small Works”
1988: RASTOVSKI GALLERY, New York NY, “Drawings”
GABRIELLE BRYERS GALLERY, New York NY, “Works on Paper”
1987: THE DRAWING CENTER: New York NY, “Selections 38”
LUISE ROSS GALLERY, New York NY, “Drawings1987"
ART INSTITUTE OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, "Artquest"
ARKANSAS ARTS CENTER, Little Rock AK, “Collectos Drawing Show”
1986: A.I.R. GALLERY, New York NY, “Group Invitational”
1985: GALVESTON ARTS CENTER, Galveston TX, “Emerging Artist Series”
1984: UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, El paso TX, “3Dimensions”
CARL SOLWAY GALLERY, Cincinnati OH, “3D Painting”
LONG BEACH MUSEUM OF ART, Long Beach CA, “International Art Competition”
1983: DAYTON INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS, Dayton OH “Selections”
CAR SOLWAY GALLERY, Cincinnati OH “Gallery Artists”
1982: NEW GALLERY OF CONTEMPORARY ART: Cleveland OH, “Ohio Selections”
HUNTINGTON GALLERIES, Hungtington WV, “Work on Walls”
OHIO FOUNDATION ON TH ARTS, Columbus OH, “Two Person Show”
1981: DELMAR COLLEGE, Corpus Christi TX, “15th Annual National Drawing and Small Sculpture Show”
DOWNEY MUSEUM OF ART, Downey CA, “Westwood Clay National”
MEMPHIS STATE UNIVERSITY, Memphis TN, “Paper and Clay Exhibition”
1978: MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY CRAFTS, New York NY, “Young Americans II”
1976: UNIVERSITY OF DALLAS, Irving TX, “2nd National Print Invitational”

GRANTS AND RESIDENCIES

1988: NEW YORK FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS, New York NY, “Artists Fellowship Sculpture”
1986: ARTISTS SPACE, New York NY, “Grant for Exhibition Aid”
1982: ARTPARK, Lewiston NY, “Residency”

2014 – PRESENT CURATED EXHIBITIONS, SPECIAL PROJECTS AND COLLABORATIONS
I founded the project space “108ag_projects“.
I wanted to work with international artists, curators and organizations to produce exhibitions which forced a different kind of dialog between, and re-examination of, included works through unusual combinations of artists, art, design, and common objects.

2020 - 2021: UNIVERSIDAD DEL CLAUSTRO SOR JUANA, “La Amenaza” Curated by John R. Thompson and Alex Aceves, Ciudad de México
2017: RAYANDO, CONSTRUYENDO… UN DIÁLOGO ÍNTIMO, Mónica Mayer and Victor Lerma. Curated by Karen Cordero for 108ag_projects
2016: WE ARE TODOS, Ciudad de México “Lava & Kryptonite” 108ag_projects, Pedro Camarena and John R Thompson
2015: 108ag_projects, Ciudad de México, John R Thompson dialogue project “Luxe/Lujo” gorgeous textiles with art and objects
108_ag projects, Ciudad de México, JRT dialogue project “Ripple Effect” Ángeles Toledo and Richard Oostrom founded a gallery during the “swinging” art scene of the esat village in the 1980s
2014: GORILLA GALLERY, Oaxaca, México, JRT dialogue project “Holes” and exhibit of things with/or
related to holes 
108AG_PROJECTS, Ciudad de México “Six Degress of Separation” series of related objects and art
2012: Visceral Beauty, JRT dialogue project, Galería Manolo Rivero Front Ground, Mérida, México.

REVIEWS, ARTICLES, WORK APPEARING IN ARTICLES*

Crónica: Eduardo Egea, John R. Thompson y México 03/12/2023
The New York Times: John R. Thompson, Paintings on Spandex, Grace Glueck. 4/11/97
Menninger Perspective: Menninger at a Glance, page 28, numbers 3-4, 1997*
The Sciences: Blast Off, page 45, 7/98
Sunday Mail: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Dare to be Different, Meera Murugesan, 2/2/97
New Straits Times: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Moving Away from Usual..., Kamalia Abdullah, 1/14/97
Nassau Herald: The Heat's On..., Jane Shapiro, 8/22/96
The Sciences: Quanta, page 8, 1/94*
Art in America: John R. Thompson at Luise Ross, Lawrence Campbell, 1/92
Cover Magazine: Romancing the Wood, Jonathan Goodman, 5/90
The New York Times: Painters Are Embracing Wood, Vivien Raynor, 4/29/90
The New York Native: Certain Slants of Light, David Hirsh, 5/90
The Advocate and Greenwich Times: Stamford's Whitney "Goes With The Grain", Janet Koplos, 3/25/90

© JOHN R. THOMPSON. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ALL THE ARTWORKS AND CURATOR'S STATEMENTS ARE PROPERTY OF THEIR AUTHORS.

DESIGN AND PROGRAMMING BY: ZURDO&DIESTRO BRANDING AGENCY