John Gilbert (b.1966) Growing up in NYC, John benefited from the vibrant cultural offerings such as museums, concerts opera and theatre, which were routine experiences in his formative years. He began working in ceramics at an early age. This period marked the beginning of an exploration into form, as John investigated  various media: sculpture, glass blowing and weaving.

In 1984, he attended the Jonathan Borofsky exhibit at The Whitney Museum of American Art, which profoundly influenced him. At Skidmore College he studied ceramics under professor Regis Brodie.

In 1989, he returned to NYC to partner with his father in creating a custom rug studio. Over the next two years, he worked as owner of New York Rugworks with a small factory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where he became a master custom rug maker, dye master and hand carver. This period culminated in an exhibition of John’s rug collection at the ICFF, NYC; it was here that he was approached by Tatsuo Tsujimoto, who invited him to work in India, and introduced him to people who had been associated with Andy Warhol’s circle.

Returning to Brooklyn in 1994, John worked in Tribeca NYC for Tsujimoto. Seeking an iconic Pop Art image, John decided to publish Robert Indiana’s LOVE icon. At Rogues & Riches, Delhi, India. John began to produce the first  Love Rugs, with exclusive rghts to produce the Love in all forms of fibre. In 1997 John had Robert Indiana read a love poem live on The Today Show, at The NY Gift Show.

In 2007 John co-curated a Robert Indiana Retrospective at Museum Kurhaus/ Wiesbaden. That same year John and Indiana entered into a new agreement for the production of Robert Indiana’s Indian Love (Prem) in the form of limited edition sculpture.

In 2010 John produced an art film called, Patanjali At The River Cauvery, which was shown at his well attended show at the Alliance Francaise, New Delhi, India.

In Mysore, India where John moved in 2004 he began to paint of found objects under the influence of Joseph Beuys. In addition to Beuys, John is influenced by artists such as Borofsky, Basquiat and Indiana, among others. His art comes from India, and he is inspired by the Yoga of Mysore, Rangoli drawings, the Chamundi mask, the dressing of the third eye, fully adorned Indian trucks and the temples of Hampi.

As of 2024, while maintaining  studios in Goa and Mysore, he resides in Parra, Goa with his British wife, Philippa and their ten year old daughter Prema. John continues to paint, in what he calls his Bhakti style, with a strong focus on the sculptural form for Prem, Yoga and Woke.