Past Exhibition: February 5, 2021 — February 27, 2021
Jonathan Paul Jackson: A Reminder to Breathe
Jonathan Paul Jackson (b. 1984) is an African American visual artist and curator from Houston, Texas. Mostly self-taught, Jackson is a prolific painter, sculptor, and illustrator. His works combine mark-making and experimentations in color, medium, and surfaces. Frequently turning to artists like Henri Matisse, Andy Warhol, and Paul Gauguin, Jackson again looks to the masters in his latest collection of 34 works.
In A Reminder to Breathe, Jackson finds inspiration in Claude Monet’s garden paintings from the early 1900s. Using nature as his muse, Monet gave the French citizens the Water Lily series, which provided a sense of peace and calm post World War 1. In 1920 France built the Musée de l’Orangerie for Monet’s large-scale water lily paintings for the French citizens.
In his approach, Jackson uses his latest works to provide a sanctuary of tranquility and reflection for the Texas citizens during these uncertain times. The collection of paintings and photographs of landscapes and flowers taken in his home garden and his travels across Texas reflect a moment by merging digitally printed photos with hand embellishments, creating an abstract-expressionist interpretation of the landscape.
We may not be able to travel much these days, but I’d like to take you on not only a visual journey but on a trip in your imagination. Reflect on the flowers and landscapes, travel to your moments in nature, and remember the scents that the flowers and trees gave off and breathe in the Texas air.