About John
Duckworth’s trademark style involves abstracting the photographic image to lend the work a much lauded painterly appearance. By providing the viewer a sense of place, yet obscuring the details, he allows each individual to step into the image and bring forth their own visual history. The ensuing narrative is enriched through the power of memory, infusing a personal creative process with universal appeal.
John Duckworth lives and works in Johns Island, South Carolina and New York City.
Education
2005 Workshop at Gibbes Museum of Art with artist William Dunlap
2005 Workshop at Gibbes Museum of Art with artist Brian Rutenberg
1999 College of Charleston, B.A. in Studio Art
Awards
2015 City Paper Critics Choice “Best Exhibition 2014”
2013 Selected as ‘One of a Kind’ by Charlie Magazine
2012 Selected as one of Charleston’s 50 Most Progressive people by Charlie Magazine
2011 Documentary Film “A Day in the Life: Artist John Duckworth” accepted into both the Charleston International Film Festival and The Peachtree International Film Festival
2007 Charleston Symphony Orchestra Film Project, “Grand Prize”
2006 Charleston Symphony Orchestra Film Project, “Grand Prize”
2005 New York Documentary Film Festival, “Best Short Documentary” for work on Word Clash directed by Kevin Harrison
2004 Photographer’s Forum, “Best of Photography Annual”
2000 College of Charleston, “Laura M. Bragg Memorial Award”
2000 Photographer’s Forum, “Best of Photography Annual”
Films
2014 Awake film for the AWAKE exhibition at The City Gallery at Waterfront Park
2013 Lay Down Your Weapons video for Duncan Sheik’s single
2011 A Day in the Life: Artist John Duckworth: Charleston Int. Film Festival, Peachtree Int. Film Festival
2008 Art Moves Jazz II: Charleston Music Hall. Live performance with original score by jazz musician Quentin Baxter (60 min).
2007 Serenade for Strings: Charleston Symphony Orchestra Film Project, SC. Winner, juried film exhibition (15 min).
2006 Urban Journey: Robert Lange Studios, Charleston SC (55 min).
2006 The Untuning of the Skies: Charleston Symphony Orchestra Film Project, SC. Winner of juried film exhibition (15 min).
2005 Word Clash: film directed by Kevin Harrison and sponsored by Red Bull. Winner Best Short Documentary, New York Film Festival, New York, NY (60 min).
2005 Art Moves Jazz: Charleston Music Hall. Live performance with jazz musicians Quentin Baxter, Kebbi Williams and Delbert Felix (60 min).
Bibliography
2015 Artwork on set of Vampire Diaries
2014 Art Mag, Fall/Winter
2014 Visual Artist Feature Profile, Charleston Post & Courier
2012 Art Mag, Fall/Winter 2012, Cover and Visual Artist Feature Profile
2010 Studio Visit, Spring 2010
2009 American Art Collector #44, Picture Perfect
2008 New American Paintings #76, chosen by Peter Boswell, Curator of Miami Art Museum
2007 The Hungry Detective, The Food Network, artwork included on show
2007 Army Wives, Lifetime TV, artwork included on series
2007 The Washington Post, mentioned artwork in article about FIG.
2004 Best of Photography Annual 2004, Honorable Mention - Nikon/Photographer's Forum
2004 Bon Apetit
2004 Charleston BarFly
2003 Wine Spectator
2003 Charleston BarFly
2000 Best of Photography Annual, Nikon / Photographer's Forum
Lectures, Teaching, Community Work
2015 Spring Island Artist Residency, lecture on work
2011 Kiawah Photography Club, lecture on photography
2005 Charleston Center for Photography
2005 Gibbes Museum, workshop on Color Theory
2003 Works by Warhol: From the Cochran Collection - museum lecture at the Gibbes Museum
2000 Natural Impressions, The Gibbes Museum
Selected Exhibitions
2015
AWAKE: The Buddha Chapel, The Gallery at Vendue, Charleston, SC
2014
AWAKE, The City Gallery at Waterfront Park, Charleston, SC
This is the Tunes and Whispered, cueB Gallery, London, UK
Curated by NoLIta, New York, NY
Social and Politically Engaged Art, FL3TCH3R Juried Exhibit, Reece Museum, Johnson City TN
2013
DECADE, Michael Mitchell Gallery, Charleston, SC
Awake Performance, Threshold Theatre, Charleston, SC
Awakening, 1600 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC
ArtFields, The Ragsdale Old Building, Lake City, SC
2012
Go South (Group Show), Young Blood Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2011
Fortunate (Group Show), Robert Lange Studios, Charleston, SC
Atlanta Celebrates Photography (Group Show), The Hagedorn Foundation Gallery, Atlanta, GA
Southern Landscapes (Group Show), The Hagedorn Foundation Gallery, Atlanta GA
2010
Black vs. White (Group Show), Robert Lange Studios, Charleston, SC
2009
Art Basel, Holly Hunt Showroom, Miami, FL
Fluid (Solo Show), Robert Lange Studios, Charleston, SC
Opening Exhibition (Group Show), The Hagedorn Foundation Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2008
Art Basel, Holly Hunt Showroom, Miami, FL
Duckworth: New Work (Solo Show), Robert Lange Studios, Charleston, SC
Duckworth (Solo Show), Jennifer Hunt Gallery, Birmingham, AL
Icons and Abstracts (Solo Show), Grand Bohemian Gallery, Savannah, GA
Still Time (Group Show), The Brick Gallery, Clarksville, MS
Landscape Abstracts (Solo Show), Artizom, Kiawah Island, SC
1x3 Ratio (Group Show), Robert Lange Studios, Charleston, SC
2007
Discover the Next Southern Art Star (Group Show), Grand Bohemian Gallery, Savannah, GA
The Other Side (Group Show), Robert Lange Studios, Charleston, SC
Small Works (Group Show), Robert Lange Studios, Charleston, SC
Southern Photographers (Group Show), Jennifer Hunt Gallery, Birmingham, AL
Duckworth: New Work (Solo Show), Fogle Fine Art, Jacksonville, FL
Marshes and Trees (Group Show), Grand Bohemian Gallery, Savannah, GA
Woman’s Image (Group Show), Grand Bohemian Gallery, Savannah, GA
2006
Urban Journey (Solo Show), Robert Lange Studios, Charleston, SC
Art Basel, Holly Hunt Showroom, Miami, FL
Duckworth (Solo Show), AEC, Orlando Museum of Art, FL
Landscape Abstracts (Solo Show), Grand Bohemian Gallery, Savannah, GA
2005
Small Works (Group Show), Robert Lange Studios, Charleston, SC
Landscape Abstracts (Solo Show), Robert Lange Studios, Charleston, SC
Duckworth (Solo Show), Cassique Club, Kiawah Island, SC
2004
The Head Show (Group Show), Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, Charleston, SC
Horizon Lines (Group Show), Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC
Grand Opening (Group Show), Robert Lange Studios, Charleston, SC
Alumni Exhibition (Group Show), Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, Charleston, SC
Light it Up (Group Show), fundraiser for non-profit theater, Charleston, SC
Piccolo Spoleto Juried Art Show (Group Show), Charleston, SC
2003
Yo What Happened to Peace (Group Show - ongoing), Los Angeles, Chicago, Tokyo, Milan, Reykjavik, Washington DC, Charleston, Brooklyn, Cambridge, San Francisco, others
The 13th Hour (Group Show), Participant in multimedia event in conjunction with Piccolo Spoleto, Charleston, SC (sponsored by Red Bull).
NY to Charleston (Group Show), Charleston SC
2002
The Great Art Caper (Group Show), curator and participant in multimedia event in conjunction with Piccolo Spoleto, Charleston, SC
Piccolo Spoleto Juried Art Show (Group Show), Charleston, SC
Journey (Solo Show), McCrady’s Wine Bar, Charleston, SC
2001
The Entropy Show (Group Show), curator and participant in multimedia event in conjunction with Piccolo Spoleto, Charleston, SC
Piccolo Spoleto Juried Art Show (Group Show), Charleston, SC
Transition (Group Show), Gallery Eleven-Eleven, Charleston, SC
2000
In the Shadow of the Flag (Group Show: including Jasper Johns, Betye Saar, Faith Ringgold, Juan Logan), Tippy Stern Fine Art, Charleston, SC
Open Shutter, curated and exhibited in a group photography show, Artizom, Charleston SC
Piccolo Spoleto Juried Art Show (Group Show), Charleston, SC
Spreading the Difference (Group Multimedia Performance Installation with Kevin Harrison and Bea Aaronson), First Night Festival, Charleston, SC