About the artwork
Jeffrey Gibson
ALIVE!, 2016
Dimensions(h x w x d): 100" x 61-1/4"
Glass beads, tin jingles, steel and brass studs, nylon fringe, and artificial sinew on acrylic felt, mounted on canvas
Located in Vanport Building, first floor entrance lobby, south wall
From Artprofiler.com: “Walking into Jeffrey Gibson’s exhibition at the Blanton Museum one is greeted by wildly exuberant displays of beadwork assemblages that beg to be touched. Utilizing glass beads, metal studs and brass and tin jingles, the works spell out messages that are derived from various sources, such as literature or song lyrics. ALIVE! is one of these works that proudly exclaims, ‘I am Alive…You are Alive…They are Alive…We are Living!’ in beaded letters surrounded by bold patterns directly influenced by narratives from Native American visual culture. Bordering the beaded messages are various metal studs and tin jingles with layers of nylon fringe stitched on the bottom edge of the canvas like fringe on the hem of a party dress. This work is a riveting affirmation of life and humanity, and a reminder to live in the present. ALIVE! sets the tone for the exhibition, and is an exceptional example of the tactile qualities that pervade much of Gibson’s art.”
About the artist
Jeffrey Gibson is a painter and sculptor living and working in Brooklyn, NY. Gibson was born in Colorado but moved frequently, and lived abroad as a child in Germany and Korea. He is a member of the Choctaw and Cherokee nations. This unique combination of cultural perspectives and exposure is essential to understanding Gibson’s artworks that combine and transform seemingly disparate references drawn from both Western and non-Western sources. The objects he creates speak to historical and social narratives -- specifically those that have threatened his queer and Indigenous voice. His works can be found in several collection across the US. Gibson received a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship in 2019.
See more of Jeffrey Gibson's work on his website.
This work was acquired through Oregon's Percent for Art in Public Places Program, managed by the Oregon Arts Commission.
Banner image: Photo by Peter Mauney.