FEATURED ARTIST | John S. Rabe

With a photographic practice centered on a close observation of the urban environment, John S. Rabe captures scenes that transform the ordinary into highly stylized, often moody, symbolic representations. Working primarily with the humble iPhone and printing as large-scale giclées on watercolor paper, he produces images that blur the line between photography and painting through his process of vibrantly textural visual editing, eliciting often psychedelic imagery. Furthermore, the outcome of his giclée printing process has a way of softening the digital origin of the work, giving it a tactile, almost hand-rendered quality that embodies both a retro and modern feel at the same time.

His images often focus on moments that might otherwise go unnoticed, like a helicopter suspended in a saturated sky, or a uniformed officer standing in a sharply rendered stadium setting. In these scenes, Rabe uses color as a primary tool for translating environment into emotion and intensifying the mood through manipulation of light and dark. As a result, his photos take on a narrative quality, inviting the viewer to uncover the deeper truth to each image.

Inspired by his past in journalism, Rabe takes a similar approach to his work as a visual artist. Capturing the lives of the common man is of critical importance to recordkeeping. Rabe hopes to inspire viewers to take in their surroundings, encouraging a closer attention to the small details of life. Shaped by his distinct point of view, Rabe casts his artistic wand upon spontaneous moments, framing them to suggest a greater message than what meets the eye.

Over time, his work has developed through repetition and reflection rather than a fixed methodology. He describes a difference between images that are merely visually interesting and those that “say something,” even if that meaning is not immediately clear. This openness allows the work to remain somewhat enigmatic, asking viewers to interpret rather than receive a singular message.

Highlighting the importance of engaging with one’s environment, Rabe turns heads with vibrant, contrasting colors to present ordinary scenes often overlooked. This aspect to his work holds an underrated power to change the way we see the world.

John S. Rabe (American, b. 1966) earned his BA from Michigan State University in 1988 (he fondly enjoys pointing out how he was rightly rejected by Harvard). He has had over five solo exhibits, and his work has been included in many group shows throughout Southern California. The artist’s work has been featured in several publications, including Westways, Los Angeles Business Journal, The Eastsider LA, Los Angeles Downtown News, LA Weekly, and Artillery Magazine. Works by the artist are held in private and public collections, including the AltaMed Art Collection. Rabe lives and works in Detroit, Michigan.