Jason Sauer

Visual Art – Pittsburgh

I am a \"Pittsburgh 40 Under 40\" winner, gallery owner, and demolition derby champion, who uses painting to address an old idea: the nature of American identity. I juxtapose nudes with custom-cut painted metal to explore this theme. I have a Master’s degree in fine art, with a focus on Printmaking including the dying art form of Stone Lithography. Metal from my demolition derby cars, oil pastels, paint, and printmaking are all part of my three dimensional artworks. I choose an image to influence the process, develop the idea of what I am feeling and create a new image. I find the relationship between the twisted metal and the printed material best express my vision. I use the demolition derby as my personal American identity. The entire process is a form of folk art for me. Each year for 17 years concurrent a car is chosen, painted , taken on tour, and displayed at the art gallery I own and operate in Pittsburgh, Most Wanted Fine Art. Over the Labor Day holiday, I enter it in the Great Stoneboro Fair, in Mercer County. The demolition derby its self sells out each year to roughly 6,000 people. I drive the painted car and smash it into other participating cars then use its pieces in other works that usually center around love letters from home. I find this folk/performance art to be a reflection of “love relationships”. A reminder of Death is a reminder of Love.