John Coplans' "Double Hand Front" is a black and white photograph capturing the intricacies of two clasped hands. The image highlights the texture and lines of aging skin, emphasizing the raw realism of the human form. Devoid of color, the focus is on the contrast and depth created by light and shadow. The composition, with its close-up detail, suggests vulnerability and an introspective examination of the body. Coplans' work challenges cultural perceptions of the male body, drawing parallels to classical sculpture while exploring themes of decay and fragmentation. ...
Aiming the camera only towards himself, John Coplans questioned popular culture's crystallized take on the male body and its connection to classical sculpture, producing humanist counter-monuments that underscore ideas of decay and vulnerability. His photographs display a number of interventions in which the body is cut and reconfigured into details and partial views, a gesture that echoes the ongoing fragmentation of bodies and matter in the digital realm of the web. ...
The name P420 is inspired by Pantone 420, a universally recognized shade of grey known for its ability to serve as the perfect background, enhancing whatever it accompanies. P420 thus emerges as a platform whose primary aim is to embrace and elevate artistic ideas and expressions, fostering their harmonious coexistence within a context that supports, encourages, and celebrates diversity and innovation. Here, every voice can resonate powerfully and distinctly, much like a work of art standing out against the backdrop of Pantone 420.
P420 has been instrumental in the rediscovery of artists such as Irma Blank, Laura Grisi, Ana Lupas, and Stephen Rosenthal, collaborating directly with the artists or, when necessary, with their heirs or the Estates representing them. Through exhibitions, off-site projects, fairs, and a strong online presence, the gallery also supports the evolving narratives of contemporary art, initiating and supporting the journey of many young emerging talents like Victor Fotso Nyie, Francis Offman, and Shafei Xia. ...
