John Costi

Artist working across sculptures, installations, paintings and performance.

Born after a spiritual awakening during a 6-year sentence for armed robbery, Costi trained as artist after securing a place at Central Saint Martins on day release. His work assesses inherited versions of ‘masculinity’ and criminal sub-culture. Through lived experience, Costi scrutinises class and the justice system to make sense of his past. Preserving real life to occupy art settings, using the gallery context as support group or showroom, his work utilises experience and emotion as the charging forces. Social care is at the core of his critical reflections. Costi is based at Somerset House and also leads and works with crime diversion groups in probation and prison settings. He is interested in dismantling hierarchies of art experience, turning passive audiences into active participants. Often improvised and informed by chance, Costi creates sculptures, installations, paintings and performances. The fallout form maps of life as art, the trails of destruction, or fruitful adventure, all to keep a mission firmly in place.