Devotion - The Bishop Gallery

DEVOTION

Jabari Jefferson

DEVOTION

The Bishop Gallery is pleased to present “Devotion” the debut solo exhibition of Jabari Jefferon. The exhibition features 10 works meticulously created during Jefferson’s year-long residency at The Bishop Gallery’s artist residency program. Jefferson’s mixed media practice amalgamates collage-making and portrait painting, pushing the limits of each genre. His sourced materials include pre-owned, repurposed objects such as fabric, paper, and foil as well as books from his family’s library. Through the imagery he creates, Jefferson aims to encourage self-exploration and covertly raise the consciousness within African-American
society.

Drawing inspiration from art movements such as Surrealism, Pop Art, and Afrofuturism, Jefferson’s artworks on display elevate the existence of esoteric Black subjects. By using recognizable elements of Black life such as the remnants of African-American fashion items and the physical inclusion of Black-conscious books, Jefferson is able to depict lived experiences in a manner easily recognizable to members of his particular community. As well, scenes of community building can be recognized through depictions of social interactions and rituals between intergenerational community members.

Thematically, the works in Devotion entangle religious iconography with the depiction of things Jefferson has found personally inspiring to his art making journey. Together, images of anime characters and hip-hop album covers along with Renaissance art references are used by Jefferson to catapult himself into the lexicon of influential African-American artists that have come before him. Upon examination, Devotion delivers philosophical questions around what it looks like to dedicate yourself to a singular intention, and challenges what those outcomes may manifest into. Jefferson’s debut solo exhibition is guided by the curation of Thomas James, which also marks James' debut curation in New York City. James critically steers Jefferson in the direction of ‘less is more’. Leading Jefferson to conscientiously create only 10 works for the exhibition.

Exhibition Dates

From

October 14, 2023

UNTIL

November 11, 2023

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Jabari Jefferson

Jabari C Jefferson (b. 1994, Washington, DC) is a mixed media oil painter based in Washington DC. His multimedia paintings are layered with found mixed media material such as books, fabric, paper, ink, acrylic and oil paints. His process involves searching local Black communities for once owned items and repurposing them into usable pieces that add to his overall palette of materials. Inspired by ritualistic practices, Jefferson believes in the transfer of energy in the materials from their previous owners. The subject of the work is self-education, self-development, and learning self-identity. The goal of his creative practice is to communicate and embody what the process of learning looks like. Jefferson received his BFA in painting from School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2016.

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