Delights : Disparities–A spectrum of life lived in the meantime.
In February 2022 Jess Walters became a fellow at New City Arts Initiative and celebrated the opportunity to host their first solo public exhibition: Delights : Disparities–A Spectrum of life lived in the meantime.
“Disability and chronic illness often come with a “before” and “after” perspective of life lived through the lens of Disabled identity, and I intend to share my personal journey “throughout,” because what happens in the “meantime” is often most important: the getting from ‘there’ to ‘here.’ What do we do to remind ourselves that we are beautiful, valuable, and indispensable when the world deems our lives ugly? Our contribution less? Our loss acceptable?
In my own “meantime,” between deep-breaths and breakdowns and “bad days,” I chose to make art; I chose to pose, and dance, and write, and film, and speak the truths I learn throughout these unprecedented transitions– my perspective perpetually challenged and irrevocably changed. “Delights: Disparities” is a conjunctive space bringing together different experiences with CKD, dialysis, and transplant as an invitation for us to explore how individual changes in perspective impact our collective understanding of health.”
Featured Exhibition Works
“Dreams I had While Dying”
14×17”
Framed pencil drawing by Jean Sampson
Model: Jess Walters
January 2018
“56 Days of Dialysis”
16.5 x 40“
Log on Cardstock
2018
“Terms we can TRASH”
Sculpture of paper and wire trash bin
February 2022
“Give me liberty, A Self Portrait”
21×19”
Framed Colored pencil, Ink, Collage
March 2020
“Big Top Wonder Circus” (For Live Arts)
11x15in.
Mixed media collage diorama
April 2021
“Secrets stitched into our skin”
3.5×4”
Framed mixed media collage
February 2022
“A Dissimulation of birds shouldering an exploding star”
9×11”
Framed mixed media collage
October 2020
“Your house of cards has elephants in every room”
8×13”
Mixed media collage
February 2022
“Hope Chokes”
10.5×8.5”
Framed mixed media collage
October 2020
“Riding poppy-eyed perceptions to the horizon of her own demise”
6’’ diameter wood round
Mixed media collage
September 2020
Smoking Cyclical Icarian Dreams
6’’ diameter wood round
Mixed media collage
August 2020
“Posies”
3-part Mixed media sculpture
June 2021
“Don’t Fade Away”
13×13”
Framed embroidery on screen-printed sweatshirt
Design by Sam Gray
October 2021
“Medusa is my Muse”
4.5 in. diameter hoop embroidery on old clothes
October 2020
“Here be Dragons”
30×24 in.
inkjet print on photo paper
May 2021
“Life : Death : Life “
Arrangement of Six 5×5 in. inkjet prints on photo paper
June 2021
“Gold Stays in Appalachia” (For DW)
9×11 in.
Framed mixed media collage
January 2021
“Gemini Sunflowers” (For Jenny)
6” wood round
Paper collage & wire sculpture
December 2021
“Oh, my overgrowth!“ (For Hadley)
9×11 in.
Framed mixed media collage
October 2020
“In the night seasons my reins instruct me”
9.5×11.5 in.
Framed mixed-media collage
May 2021
“My Left Foot” (For JD)
12×10 in.
Framed mixed media collage
September 2020
“Narcissistic Enlightenment: A Collision”
6×8.5 in.
Framed mixed media collage
July 2021
“Ascending” (For Cassie)
3.5x 3.5in.
Framed mixed media collage
November 2021
“While I Go Out Walking”
Temporary mosaic of Forty 4×4 in. ceramic tiles affixed with digital photography, cork, and hemp twine.
February 2022
Exhibition photo credit Kori Price