Fort Works Art is thrilled to present the much anticipated first ever Solo Exhibition by local artist Jay Wilkinson running from June 28 - July 29, 2017.
Opening Reception July 1, 6-9 p.m.
Entitled everyone poops, this show is comprised of over twenty original oil paintings that have been described by the artist as a series of “indirect portraits.” Painted in Wilkinson’s distinctive style -- a striking collision between realistic figurative painting and abstract composition -- each painting is based on an unstaged photograph from a family member or friend. Wilkinson’s work is both gentle and haunting and reveals the human dynamics that exist in all of our lives. A product of divorce, Wilkinson elicits the raw human emotion that shows up in our worlds when “everything is fine”. Balancing humor, tragedy, rebirth and beauty these works will resonate with the viewer the understanding of the complexities that exist for us all. This intensity of the artist is counterbalanced with the lighthearted nature of the exhibition’s title, which is based on the book read to him as a small boy by his mother. Wilkinson’s bold depictions bring this juxtaposition to the forefront and allow the viewer to enter the works and experience the emotional complexities that exist within them.
Atypical in their execution, the works stray from the traditional models of portraiture and its soft, romanticized ideals of beauty. Instead, Wilkinson plays up the sharp and assaulting lighting of the images from which each painting is based while also giving a deep poignancy to the negative space present in each as a means to explore the notion of the universality of human flaw within the complex and complicated dynamic of familial structures. Revealing the honesty captured in the strange, kind, silly, or uncomfortable “accidental moments,” the works serve to humanize each situation making their emotion and symbolism recognizable and accessible to the viewer.
A Fort Worth native, Wilkinson has gained a following for his singular style and has garnered a reputation within the community for his collaborative spirit. With his intrepid attitude, Wilkinson has shirked a traditional and academically-minded approach to his art-making in favor of a more visceral and emotional aesthetic, stating “I didn’t get all this way to do it their way.” In announcing the show, FWA founder and curator Lauren Childs commented “Wilkinson is the perfect example of what it looks like to exist and work as an artist in Fort Worth, Texas. He is more than an artist in our community. He has curated exhibitions of an exceptional quality, completed a residency that went beyond the limits, and rallied a group of artists to follow in the path he is blazing. His dedication to being both an artist and an advocate is what makes him the perfect fit for Fort Works Art”
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