Published by Radius Books. Text by Jennie C. Jones.
This volume explores the interdisciplinary practice of Hudson-based artist Jennie C. Jones (born 1968), which moves viewers through both visual and auditory engagement. Aurally altering the spaces in which her paintings, sculptures and installations are on view, Jones’ work encourages viewers to anticipate sound even in the quietest of environments. As she explains, "I always say [the artworks are] active even when there’s no sound in the room; they are affecting the subtlest of sounds in the space—dampening and absorbing even the human voice." Conceptually, Jones’ practice reflects on the legacies of modernism and Minimalism while underscoring the connection between Minimalism and music, illuminating the influence of the Black avant-garde. Bringing this multisensory experience to book form, Jones unites documentation of recent exhibitions—including Dynamics, her expansive show at the Guggenheim Museum (2022)—with excerpts of text, poetry and conversations to create a "score" that reveals the layers of Jones’ artwork. Part artist’s book and part primer, this lyrical volume unfolds in movements, like a printed and bound evening of poetry, prose and music.
Published by Gregory R. Miller & Co.. Edited and text by Valerie Cassel Oliver. Foreword by Bill Arning. Text by Hilton Als, Huey Copeland, George E. Lewis.
The work of Jennie C. Jones (born 1968) spans multiple mediums, from paintings, sculptures and works on paper to audio collages and immersive sound installations. Jones employs the visual languages of abstraction and minimalism to draw out the parallels and disjunctions between the history of modernism and the history of African American music, particularly jazz. This volume documenting the artist’s midcareer survey at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston includes many of her best-known works alongside new paintings and a site-specific installation. The book, whose stunning design references the formal qualities of Jones’ work, includes an extensive plate selection alongside essays by Valerie Cassel Oliver, Hilton Als and George Lewis, and an interview between Jones and art historian Huey Copeland.
Jennie C. Jones: Compilation