The Devil

About The Devil

This graphic painting by John Scott deals with images associated with the devil and war.

Growing up in Windsor, Ontario, in the 1950s during the Cold War, John Scott experienced the trauma of living under the threat of a nuclear attack. The bold, provocative imagery associated with his distinctive ‘street art’ style often includes apocalyptic images like the prince of darkness—the devil.
Here, the frightening face of the devil looms in red, bold black lines emphasizing his demonic nature. The devil’s face is set against a gray backdrop amidst additional images that suggest the technology and machines of war—missiles and satellites.

“People have quickly become immune to the horrors of war, and I think that the more we lay on people, the more immune they become.” John Scott

“His artistic creations have drawn comparisons to those of American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988), who similarly explored themes of mortality, destruction, and the disparity between wealth and poverty. In the wake of Basquiat’s passing and his rise to fame, Scott has been dubbed the “Basquiat of Canada.” It is important to note that Scott, being ten years Basquiat’s senior, had already established his artistic identity well before Basquiat’s initial creations.” Roy Bernardi, Art Critic, Dart Magazine

John Scott (1950-2022) was born to a working-class family in 1950 Windsor, Ontario. His father worked in a local factory and died of emphysema when John was only 11 years old. As a teenager, John left school after Grade Ten and, to help support his family, worked at assembly line jobs.
In 1972, he followed his older brother to Toronto and for the next four years attended the Ontario College of Art, the University of Toronto and Centennial College. Scott became a Professor in the Drawing and Painting program of the Faculty of Art at OCAD University in Toronto and taught there for 38 years.
In 2000, he was the first recipient of the Governor General's Award in Visual Arts and Media.
John Scott exhibited extensively, and his work can be found in private and public collections in both Canada and the United States, notably the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa and The Museum of Modern Art, New York.