Jon Routson

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Jon Routson (born 1969 in Washington, D.C.) is an American artist who works with video, new media, and conceptual ideas. He is based in Baltimore, Maryland.

Education and early work
Routson went to Albert Einstein High School in Maryland. He studied briefly at the Maryland Institute College of Art, earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, College Park in 1993, and completed an MFA at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 2003. In New York, he worked as an artist assistant for painter Marilyn Minter and video artist Vito Acconci and later taught for a short time at the Corcoran College of Art and Design.

Bootlegs and video work
Routson is best known for his video work, especially bootleg recordings. From 1999 to 2004, he secretly made handheld recordings of Hollywood films inside theaters, holding the camera on his body and not looking through the viewfinder. His films often blocked the screen or subtitles, such as in The Passion of the Christ. Instead of appearing online, his camrip-style works were shown in art galleries, including two exhibitions at the Team Gallery in New York in 2003 and 2004. He also edited Matthew Barney’s Cremaster 4 into a 22-minute TV-style version with ads and an ABC watermark, mimicking a Saturday night movie format.

Legal issues and other projects
In 2004, Maryland passed a law banning unauthorized recording in theaters, leading Routson to stop his bootlegging practice. Other works include a photography series of shopping-mall Easter bunnies and the 2003 piece My Guitar, which featured his Fender guitar with a “For Sale” sign.

Reception
Critics have had mixed reactions. Some praised the energy and questions about art in the age of mechanical reproduction, while others called the work lazy. Routson is represented by Team Gallery in New York. His exhibitions have included shows at Team Gallery, White Columns, MoCA D.C., and other venues.