John DiJulio
Age: 19
Year: Sophomore
Major: Photography
Hometown: Detroit
Why did you decide to come to VCUarts?
I chose VCU because a guy I worked with back in Detroit is from Virginia and he told me they had a really great art school. When I did a little research and saw how great of a reputation the school had and how low the cost was compared to other schools it was kind of a done deal. Plus I lived in Baltimore for the first 11 years of my life so the area is pretty familiar.Â
What is your favorite thing about VCU?
Living in a city and still being able to get lost in the woods.Â
Congratulations on being accepted into the juried show for the Anderson Gallery! Is this your first show?
I was in a couple shows in high school, but nothing was all that serious. Â
How do you decide which works to show?
I chose whatever I think will look really good on the wall together. Like that Confusion series that got into this show was two different projects smashed together. I thought they would complement each other well since they were both about similar subjects.Â
Can we see your accepted works?
So, how would you describe your artistic style/interests?
I would describe my artistic style as a mix between photography and painting. Recently I’ve been doing a lot of work with using photos as a medium to manipulate and not a final product. I’m really interested in art about making art. I think stuff that doesn’t try and answer any questions beyond the work itself is really solid work.
Who are your biggest artistic influences?
My friend Nick Seitz just hipped me to Mel Bochner who has been making everything I’ve wanted to make for the past 40 years or so’ I think he’s gonna have the next big impact on my work. Other influences would be Adolph Gotlieb, Marc Bell, Barry McGee, Dafy Hagai, Clemens Behr, Helena Almeida, ESCIF, NUG & PIKE, BLU, the list goes on and on really.
What inspires you most artistically?
Oh man, I get inspired by a ton of stuff. I have a tumblr that I use to archive all the stuff that I want my work to look like. Minimalism and abstraction are a big part of what I like.Â
What are your plans for your artistic future?
I plan on getting an internship with a gallery or with an advertising agency. I would love to be a fine artist for life, but I’d like to get my safety net setup first.Â
So other than on art, how do you spend your time?
Skating, painting murals, eating a lot of chicken wings, reading.
What’s your favorite type of music?
Anything playing at Marlboro Mansion
Lastly, are there any projects you’re working on currently that you would like to tell us about?
Check out richmondbikes.tumblr.com, I’ll be posting more since it’s getting warmer!
Where can people go to see more of your work?
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