John Varah

VISUAL ARTIST & LIGHTING DESIGNER
23 NEWMARKET ROAD BRIGHTON BN2 3QG
Home Tel (01273) 686444 – Studio (01273) 603700 – Fax (01273) 603704
john@varah.ldps.co.uk

BIOGRAPHY BACKGROUND
I was born in 1959 in Hammersmith west London and initially pursued a science education and civil service career. I came to the visual arts through Theatre, in which I have been involved since I was 15. I left the civil service in 1983 to pursue a career as a lighting designer and theatre devisor with Industrial & Domestic Theatre Contractors (I.D.T.C.). I am still a director of this company and also work with various other dance, theatre, and visual art groups. I.D.T.C. is a visual theatre company specialising in “one-off” work, commissioned for different non theatre sites, over the years we have devised shows for lakes, swimming pools, derelict industrial spaces and houses. The visual nature of this work allowed me to develop my skills and techniques as a “maker” which led on to me pursuing my own artistic work and projects, installations, and exhibitions. I spent two years as a teacher / technician at Dartington college of Arts in Devon working with theatre and art students devising lighting, sound and media scores for performance and installation. I came to Brighton and was a founder member of Eye Level Studios and Gallery in Brighton and am now the chair of Phoenix Arts Association. My arrival in Brighton also allowed me to enter a long term relationship with Same Sky a Community Arts Group where I work as a lighting designer commissioned 3d artist and workshop leader.

ARTISTS STATEMENT
My work is mostly concerned with the “human situation” and with perception and reality. My 3d work involves assemblage and found objects and often takes the form of interactive peepshows or dioramas with quasi moral messages. These pieces are very influenced by the ideas of narrative, both linear and non linear that I have brought from my theatre background. I often seek to involve the viewer directly by pressing buttons and making choices, etc. My 2d work takes the form of electronic printmaking using a computer and various input devices (scanners digitisers). This work is very much about perception often celebrating the immense detail in everyday objects sometimes moving this onto my own face or body. I also make drawings that I then scan into the computer and use in composite prints. I am a member of the British Computer Artists Association and a selector/hanging committee member for their annual show.

SELECTED WORK SHOWS ETC. INSTALLATIONS
“Cafe Plastique” an interactive group installation with performance for Dartington Hall, Chisenhale Dance Agency and Brighton Festival.
“The Body” a performance and installation in Tooting Bec Asylum Solo installation for Heat Wave 2 at the serpentine gallery Late night Gardening Iklesham & Groombridge with Same Sky Sussex
“Space Corridor” Group installation Phoenix arts Brighton Festival
“Glade” at Powder Mill Wood for Same Sky Additionally collaborating in lighting and making for performance/installations

EXHIBITIONS
“Whingeing Pommes” With Dominique Downs Eye Level Gallery
“Electronic Printmakers” 5 artists at the Quaker Gallery St. Martins lane.
“Found” exhibitor and curator of group show of artists using found objects/images.
“Love Bytes Computer” art show Sheffield
“After the fact” Selected Artists by Lighthouse Media at Brighton University
“Arthaus” 2 exhibitions for this mixed media event in London
“Arcade” Touring international digital print show “People” Solo Show Phoenix Gallery
“Nervous” Solo show Komedia Brighton
“Off the Table” Group show Phoenix Gallery
“Open Boxes” Touring Show of box art
“No more Hiroshimas” touring show for 50th anniversary
“Fragments” Touring Show of fragments of imaginary books
“Found Again” exhibitor and curator of 2nd group show of artists using found materials. 5 Digital Print annual exhibitions for British Computer Arts Association 5 Phoenix Gallery Festival Shows

THEATRE AND COMMUNITY ARTS
15 years with Industrial & Domestic producing shows both here and abroad tailored to the needs and sites of various clients including festivals, arts councils and producing venues. Also including 3 large community projects Freelance lighting and special prop design for a large range of companies including dA dA dUMB, Katie Duck, Meeting Ground Theatre Co., Visual Stress, Yorik Theatre co., Strange Cargo, Emergency Exit Arts, Red Earth, Tallawah, Brighton Festival. Also has an ongoing collaborations with Charlie Morrisey & Becky Edmunds both jointly and on their individual projects including “The Smallest Room”, “Future Human”, “line”, “Deadline” and “Absolute Zero” (with Walter Bailey) 7 Years Community arts involvement with Brighton Based Same Sky lighting, designing, making and workshop leading.