Culture meets fiber in "MARKINGS," Julian J. Jones’ solo exhibition of quilted, gestural abstraction artwork and compositions inspired by traditional African American quilting. The word “mark” carries multiple meanings: his sketches code experiences as a Black male, as well as the emotional impact of his experiences growing up.
The exhibition pairs a variety of abstract gestural oil pastel drawings with vivid abstract quilts to connect his associations, giving the audience access to his process which includes craft, composition, color theory, and textile design. By combining custom textiles with solid fabrics, his work embraces and incorporates an aggressive mingling of colors, shapes, and forms, derived from pure artistic intuition that bypass viewer’s critical facilities to open up a conversation around his Black experience.
From the Artist:
"'MARKINGS' embarks on my journey to discover my Black identity. Trying to complicate notions of who a Black man can be in white spaces, the word “mark” is the dominant theme throughout my practice. A “mark” refers to a part of a sketch, as well as the lasting trace of an emotion or experience. I’m drawn to a traditional Black outlet, connecting with the Gee’s Bend quilters for their commitment to working through abstraction.”
September 9th: Opening Reception
September 9th: October 15th: Exhibition
Additional Programming:
Artist Talk: Thursday, September 22nd at 6pm,
Join Emerging Artist Fellow, Julian J. Jones for his Artist Talk on his solo exhibition inspired by traditional African quilting.
