Culture meets fiber in MARKINGS, Julian J. Jones solo exhibition of quilted, gestural abstraction artwork and compositions inspired by traditional African American quilting- specifically “The Gee’s Bend Quilters” from the Pettway Plantation in Wilcox County, Alabama.

The word “mark” carries multiple meanings: his sketches code experiences as a Black male and 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 works embrace and incorporate an aggressive mingling of colors, shapes, and forms derived from pure artistic intuition that bypass the viewer’s critical facilities and open up a conversation around his Black experience.

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 works embrace and incorporate an aggressive mingling of colors, shapes, and forms derived from pure artistic intuition. They follow no physical law, no up or down; they defy gravity to bypass the viewer’s critical facilities and open up a conversation around my black experience.

ARTIST STATEMENT

A line runs from my art practice through the nurturing practices of my great grandmother, Grandma Elsie, the family quilter. Not only did she construct colorful, elegant, and sophisticated quilts for her eight children, she also made garments for everyday wear. It is from her that I inherited an appreciation for quilting, fashion, and art.

I grew up in a strict, Christian household on the northside of Indianapolis, in a predominantly white neighborhood. Raised in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, I learned the value of the Black community. But surrounded by whiteness, I dealt with loneliness and social anxiety. I didn’t want to be seen or identified by my white peers. After school, I would recuperate by watching 106 & Park on B.E.T. Watching videos of Lil’Kim, Missy Elliot, Crime Mob, and Lil Wayne, I witnessed people who looked like me. 106 & Park introduced me to Black hip-hop culture, which influences all aspects of my practice.

I best express myself through sketching. My drawings are colorful, abstract, gestural, and ultimately unexplainable. Even I can’t quite comprehend what comes out of my sketchbook. Due to my learning disability, drawing has been my most direct form of communication. I approach the making of quilts as a sketching process, working quickly to creatively process the sense of alienation that comes from being a Black man in white spaces.

ABOUT JULIAN J. JONES

Julian Jamaal Jones is an African American interdisciplinary artist and fashion photographer born and raised in Indianapolis, IN. Jones earned his Bachelor’s degree in Photography in 2020 from the Herron School of Art + Design in Indianapolis, IN. Julian graduated with his Master’s in Photography in 2022 from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, MI, with The Museum Purchase Award.

He merges a range of mediums to express his perspectives around black identity. His works bridge drawing, sculpture, and textile to memorialize black culture. In addition, Julian communicates through the historical language of African American quilting by implementing abstract forms and vibrant colors in his works to bypass the viewer’s critical faculties and open a conversation around his Black experience.

Image credits: @samanthalist

Exhibition will be on view through Saturday, October 15th. Viewing hours are Thursday- Saturday from 12-5pm.

Join us for the Artist Talk on Thursday, September 22nd from 6-8pm.