J. Carino’s (b. 1988; Littleton, Colorado) paintings take a utopic view of queerness and of the American landscape, bringing bodies and natural environments together in sensual plays of color and form. Portraying monumental nude figures, Carino’s work pushes against strictures placed socially on queer individuals, likening their sanctity and beauty to that of the natural world.
Carino’s imagery draws on painting histories of the early 20th century, reimagining the symbolism of masculine bodies, that were often shown in their capacities for labor, strength, and industry. In Fauvist colors, Futurist shapes, and sweeping New Deal compositional modes, the artist rethinks the poses and forms of these figures, setting them among blossoms, branches, and waves. The subjects of Carino’s paintings relax into their settings, playing and lounging in the wilderness where their predecessors might have labored in attempts at dominion. The artist posits a view that queerness and sexuality are as natural to humans as the landscape is to the Earth.
Originally from Colorado, Carino lived in New York for fifteen years before relocating to the West coast. This move brought on a wealth of inspiration, immersing the artist in nature in ways that gave new meanings to familiar forms. Arid climates and mountainous landscapes make their ways into Carino’s work, lending his paintings their vibrant sunset hues and vast feelings of space. Yet, within the picturesque exists a shade of something darker, as blazing fire, wild animals, and crashing waves disturb the Elysian lull with the untamed drama of a new frontier. Carino’s paintings walk a line between the erotic and fantastical, finding an emotive space within the interplay of bodies, landscapes, and forces of nature.
J. Carino has presented solo exhibitions at Monya Rowe Gallery, New York, NY; Sow & Tailor, Los Angeles, CA; Monti 8, Latina, Italy; A BLVE ROSE Gallery, Riverside, CA, and Auxier/Kline, New York, NY. Carino has presented work in group exhibitions at James Cohan Gallery, New York, NY; Vardan Gallery, Los Angeles, CA; Shulamit Nazarian, Los Angeles, CA; BEERS, London, UK; Dune Alpin, East Hampton, NY; and Fluffy Crimes, Chicago, IL, among many others. The artist participated in the Art House San Clemente Residency, CA, in 2023, and will participate in a residency at PM/AM, London, England, in 2024. The artist holds a BFA from Parsons School of Design. Carino lives and works in Riverside, CA.