MFA Sculpture 

1st floor, Sculpture, Studio 140B 

Social media: @jgrovesphotos instagram 

John Groves 

Bladder (DVD Player), Interactive video sculpture. Thermoplastic, repurposed DVD player, wire, batteries, touch capacitive sensor, digital screen, signal mixer, 15 × 13 in. 

My current art practice centers around exploring the chronically ill experience through glitch art and multimedia pieces. Using lens-based work, I explore the implications of existing in a body. The glitch process used in my work allows space to challenge conventional notions of "brokenness" and embrace existence in any form. Drawing from lived experiences, I use glitch to examine how society perceives and interacts with chronically ill/injured bodies. My work invites viewers to reflect on how they see their own bodies and consider what structures shape our medical institutions. Ultimately, my goal is to allow for introspection and critical thought on ways bodies are viewed and how societal systems influence our understanding of health and function. What does a properly functioning body look like? Or is the idea of “properly functioning” just a societal label? The space between function and nonfunction is meant to be expanded, similarly to the binary of gender. My current work in progress explores topics of how organic material interacts with inorganic information and how the two converse with each other. Drawing from concepts of glitch feminism, I explore glitch theory, crip theory, and my own lived experiences. 

John Groves 

John Groves (they/them) is an interdisciplinary artist living in New Jersey. They’re a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in photography and related media. Their current practice explores the relationship between glitch media, chronic illness, and ableism within society through lived experiences and research. As a chronically ill artist themself, they question how the body shapes experiences. They were awarded the VSA Emerging Young Artists Fellowship in 2024. Along with this award, their work traveled in a group exhibition across a few states. John continues to explore how they can combine glitch with other mediums to discuss disability studies and identity.