John John Jesse

John John Jesse is an illustrative painter from New York City's Lower East Side in the Juxtapoz gonzo-pop vein. He often shows with artists like Esao Andrews.

Dropping out of school and leaving home to squat at the age of fifteen, he turned to art to keep from returning to drug addiction. He painted the girls he grew up with, citing the punk lifestyle of girls and drugs. Most of the people featured in his work are friends of his. They are generally nude or partially disrobed, in situations that are both fantastical and gritty, and could be described as a blending of Richard Kern's transgressive sexuality with Mark Ryden's dreamy femme playlands.

Jesse also played bass in the New York Crust punk band Nausea and designed posters and album art for bands like Agnostic Front. He currently plays guitar in the band Morning Glory.

External links

* [http://johnjohnjesse.net John John Jesse's official website]
* [http://www.artatlarge.com/pages/JJJ_pages1/JJJ_index1.htm John John Jesse's art from Sept 9, 2004 Art@Large Gallery Show in New York City]
* [http://www.hoardmag.com/jj/1.htm Interview with John John Jesse, Hoard Magazine, June 2005]
* [http://www.incubuschoice.com/closeup_628_en_john_john_jesse.html Interview with John John Jesse, Incubus' Choice, January 2003]
* [http://www.futurerockstarsofamerica.com/blog/feature/issue-002/john-john-jesse/ FR*A Interview with John John Jesse]