(2013 - ONWARD: In 2013 Coalition Ingenu re-located to
Florida, so I am now "self-represented" as an artist. If you're interested in
setting up an art show or purchasing artwork, please email me -
eulogycontact@hotmail.com)
The majority of my work for the past 17 - 20 years has
revolved around an ongoing story-line, the plot of which is very abstracted, but
deals with the big issues facing life-forms, dualities, and the seeking of
transcendent states of non-being even while alive. The work itself serves
purposes aside from the decorative or ego functions of art, although those
aspects are also present as a side-effect of the process. An interconnecting
series of scroll drawings, which, when connected, form one vast drawing, now
contains over 30 installments and spans over 100 feet in length. Near the time of
my death (should I know of it in advance in time to implement this plan) I
intend to complete this drawing by creating a final scroll which will connect to
the first one, to make a huge cycloramic image. If I'm afforded enough time to
work on it, I may be able to finish hundreds of feet of this work, and the story
arc and characters should be able to prevent many actual real-world disasters in
the future by subtle/strange influence. In the meantime, the discipline of the
art-activity is creating and shaping me into someone fit to serve the forces I
am delineating.
• On-screen and behind-the-scenes researcher for
the 2011 film Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles. This
documentary film chronicles my research into the origin and meaning of a
cryptic form of street art known as the “Toynbee tiles,” mosaic tiles
embedded in the asphalt of public streets bearing a hitherto mysterious
message. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January of
2011, winning the award for best director in its category, and went on to
garner positive reviews from Roger Ebert, the New York Times, and
most other major media outlets. Since 2011 the film has been viewed by more
than a million people, through film festivals, online streaming (via Netflix
and Amazon), and other formats.
• Author and researcher of the book Herbert
Crowley: The Temple of Silence (ISBN 0997372990, 9780997372991, Beehive
Books, 2018)
This lavish coffee-table art book was crowdfunded by the
publisher, raising $122,411 toward pre-sales of an initial limited edition of
2,500 copies. It received broadly positive reviews and was made available in
retail outlets in 2019 as a trade edition. The book was pre-ordered by many
libraries and institutions, and was awarded a Communication Arts award in
design, one of only six books in 2018 to receive this award. In 2019 The
Temple of Silence was published in a French language edition by Urban Books.
(ISBN 979-1026819066)
Solo Exhibitions:
2019
Justin Duerr: Surrender to Survival
– Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, 756 N Milwaukee
Ave., Chicago IL.
2017
Time’s Funeral: Drawings & Poems by Justin
Duerr – Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, 1020 South Street,
Philadelphia PA.
2012
Panoptic Story Scroll (unfinished cycloramic
mind diagram) - Traction Company, 4100 Haverford Ave.
Philadelphia PA. Featured as part of the Philadelphia Open Studio Tour (POST).
Stranger Things Have Never Happened
- Gallery 309, 309 Cherry St. in Philadelphia PA. This exhibit
also featured two exclusive screenings of the film Resurrect Dead: The
Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles.
2011
Crystallized Chaos Distilled
- Ocean County Public Library, Tom's River, NJ. A homemade hand-bound book
was donated to the library and included in their permanent collection of rare
books.
2009
Song-Story Images in Black and White
- St. Asaph's Church Gallery, Bala Cynwyd PA.
The Omniversal Chorus (in pen and paint)
- Dock St. Bar, 50th. & Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia PA.
2008
Maps To Everywhere, Keys To Everything
- Satellite Cafe, 701 S. 50th. St., Philadelphia PA.
2004
Opening the Eye of the Seance
- C.O.D.E. Space, 48th. and Woodland Ave., Philadelphia PA.
1997
The Secret Art - 224 Camac
Gallery, 224 Camac St., Philadelphia PA.
1996
Inside Down - Borders
Books, 1805 Walnut St., Philadelphia PA.
1995
Presences - A-Space
Gallery, 4722 Baltimore Ave Philadelphia PA.
Group Exhibitions:
2015
Raw and Ardor June 26 -
July 28, Mount Dora Center for the Arts, 138 E. Fifth Ave.,
Mount Dora Florida – A Coalition Ingenu group show.
2014
Uncommon Copies –
Church of Templehead Gallery, 1901 S. Allport St., Chicago, IL. – A group
show of photocopied artwork and zines.
Friends and Neighbors –
AIRspace Gallery, 4007 Chestut St., Philadelphia PA.
2013
Candles in the Light: International Folk and
Self-Taught Art – Material Culture, 4700
Wissahickon Ave., Philadelphia PA.
Autodidactic Ingenuism –
Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, 1020 South St., Philadelphia PA.
Idiosynchronicity - A Seed
on Diamond Gallery, 124 Diamond St., Philadelphia PA.
downSIZED - Cheltenham
Center for the Arts, Cheltenham PA.
2012
Coalition Ingenu Self Taught Artists'
Collective - Outsiders Art and Collectibles, Durham NC.
Heart and Soul - An
outdoor installation project coordinated by the Philadelphia University City
District. Local artists were selected to hand-decorate pianos which were then
placed in public. Mine was one of two selected to remain in prominent locations
for the duration of the summer of 2012.
70 Rupees to Paradise Road
- Philadelphia Ship Preservation Guild - on board a tall ship docked on the
Delaware River, Philadelphia PA.
Another Story - St. Asaphs
Church Gallery, Bala Cynwyd PA.
2011
The Visionaires -
Philadelphia's Magic Gardens, 1020 South St. , Philadelphia PA.
2010
Jim Bloom and Justin Duerr: The Ironic and the
Sublime - Bahdeebahdu Gallery, 1522 American St.,
Philadelphia PA.
Iron Lines - Piranha
Betty's, 2472 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia PA.
Outsider Art: Survey 2010 - Outsider Art from
Community Galleries - HAI Gallery, 548 Broadway, New York
NY.
2009
In Your Dreams -
Philadelphia City Hall, Philadelphia PA.
2008
The World ApART - Widener
University Art Gallery, Chester PA.
2005
Wish You Were Here -
A.I.R. Gallery, 111 Front St., Brooklyn NY.
Print Publications:
Philadelphia Inquirer, July 9,
2019 – Lost Art Finds a New Home, a feature article focused on the
research process and publication of The Temple of Silence.
Orlando Weekly, July 8,
2015 – An article about a Coalition Ingenu group show in Florida. Featured
a full-page reproduction of one of my drawings.
Philadelphia Inquirer, Oct. 5,
2012 - Mention of my opening and installation at Traction Company as part of
Philadelphia Open Studio Tours (POST).
Philadelphia Weekly, April 11 -
17 2012 - In-depth preview of Gallery 309 show, including full page reproduction
of artwork.
34th. St. Magazine, Nov. 10, 2011
- Positive review of my zine Decades of Confusion Feed the Insect in a
section about the annual Philadelphia Zine Fest.
Chicago Sun-Times, Sept. 11, 2011
- Positive review of the film Resurrect Dead by noted film critic Roger
Ebert.
New York Times, Sept. 1, 2011 -
Positive review of the film Resurrect Dead.
The Village Voice, August 31st.,
2011 - Positive review of the film Resurrect Dead.
Philadelphia Weekly, Jan. 16 -
22, 2011 - Cover story about the film Resurrect Dead, including lengthy
interview segments from me.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Jan.
27, 2011 - Positive review of the film Resurrect Dead, including an
interview with me.
Philadelphia Weekly, July 28 -
Aug. 4, 2009 - Positive review of my work in the Art in City Hall show,
including a photograph of my piece in the show.
Lula Magazine, Issue Four, 2007 -
Short interview excerpt about one of my music projects, The Vivian Girls
Experience.
Tric Zine, Fall issue, 2003 -
Published a lengthy article I wrote about the Toynbee tile phenomenon. A later
issue featured cover art from me, and also another article contribution about
pigeons.
The Maxx, issue # 35, Feb. 1998 -
Published my "fan art" on their letters page.
Sabrina The Teenage Witch, issue
# 4, Aug. 1997 - Published my "fan art" on their letters page.
The Harrisburg Patriot-News, May
22. 1991 - My artwork featured as the cover image as well as inside a
supplemental section dedicated to the 1991 Scholastic Writing Awards.
Non-Print Press:
The Comics Journal.
May 2, 2018 – Lengthy interview about The Temple of Silence by author,
artist, and comics scholar Mark Newgarden. (http://www.tcj.com/profound-frightening-childlike-and-ancient-a-conversation-with-justin-duerr/)
(Retrieved Nov. 2018)
The Comics Journal. April 2,
2018 – A positive review of The Temple of Silence by author and
comics scholar Dan Nadel. (http://www.tcj.com/reviews/herbert-crowley-the-temple-of-silence/)
(Retrieved Nov. 2018)
The Key (WXPN blog). Sept. 24
2017 – In depth interview about musical projects, an upcoming art show, and
other topics. (http://thekey.xpn.org/2017/09/14/justin-duerr/)
(Retrieved Nov. 2018)
Knight Arts Blog, Oct. 2, 2012 -
Lengthy preview of a showing/installation of the Panoptic Story-Scroll in
Philadelphia (http://www.knightarts.org/community/philadelphia/justin-duerr-traction-company)
(Retrieved Feb. 2013)
WQHS Radio blog, April 2012 -
Very in-depth article about covering my artwork, music, and life. (http://wqhsradio.tumblr.com/post/20372424439/justin-duerr-pigeon-punk-pulling-through)
(Retrieved Feb. 2013)
Artblog.org, April 25, 2012 -
Write-up about solo show at Gallery 309 in Philadelphia. (http://www.theartblog.org/2012/04/justin-duerrs-haunting-visual-epic-at-gallery-309/)
(Retrieved Feb. 2013)
WHYY Television, March 2012 -
Segment about the film Resurrect Dead, with additional footage of me
talking about my art and
life.(http://www.whyy.org/tv12/fridayarts/art201203.html) (Retrieved Feb. 2013)
Last Call with Carson Daly, Nov.
8, 2011, Season 11, Episode 25 - I was a guest on this late-night talk show,
speaking about the film Resurrect Dead. (http://www.nbc.com/last-call-with-carson-daly/video/resurrect-dead/n4336/)
(Retrieved Feb. 2013)
Circle Into the Square blog, Nov.
2011 - Very in-depth interview with me about Resurrect Dead, my art,
music projects, and other topics. (http://www.circleintosquare.com/blog/not-quite-20-questions-with-justin-duerr)
(Retrieved Feb. 2013)
WXPN FM Radio, March 2007 - I was
a guest on a radio show featuring local zine-creators reading from their zines.
This was in conjunction with that year's annual Philadelphia Zine Fest. (http://writing.upenn.edu/wh/calendar/0307.html#26)
(Retrieved Feb. 2013)
National Public Radio, Sept. 23,
2006 - I was interviewed by Joel Rose for a radio feature about Toynbee tiles. (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6112129)
(Retrieved Feb. 2013)
Additional Artistic Activities:
* Musician and producer of dozens
of self-released musical and quasi-musical sound projects/bands. An active
member of at least four bands, and countless others in the past, I have toured
around the US playing music and selling my zines/photocopied art since the late
1990's. I have designed many show flyers for self-promotion.
* Currently (as of 2020) at work on a vast
art-historical biography/ art book centering on Herbert Crowley’s associate Mary
Mowbray-Clarke. Was awarded a 2019 – 2020 research fellowship from the Harry
Ransom Center for the Humanities at the University of Texas at Austin in
connection with research for this project. Participated in a panel discussion
and presented a power-point lecture about Mary Mowbray-Clarke’s life and context
in February 2020 at the Rockland Center for the Arts in Rockland County, New
York, as part of the exhibit American Modernism: 20th Century
Influencers in Rockland.
* Self-publisher of the zine
Decades of Confusion Feed the Insect since 1995. I have participated in the
annual Philadelphia Zine Fest since its inception in 2002. I helped organize the
2004 Fest.
* Collaborator, along with artist
Mandy Katz, on over 80 small watercolor/ink drawings illustrating Leonora
Carrington's short story 'As They Rode Along the Edge.' A no-budget film
version of these paintings seen flip-book style and narrated by poet Ish Klein
was our finished project.
* Ordained minister in the Church
of Divine Energy (C.O.D.E.), an independent church dedicated to the
cultivation/celebration of creative energy. This organization hosted several
music and art events every week in Philadelphia from 2004 - 2006, and also
performed several wedding ceremonies.
Education:
G.E.D., 2003