Unveiling Stories on Canvas.
Houston-born artist Jackie Gendel is a storyteller through painting. Known for her dynamic works featuring abstracted human figures, each art piece of Gendel’s has a cinematic quality.
A key aspect of Gendel’s work is her exploration of history and repetition. She delves into why things repeat and how they change, creating paintings that are both deeply personal and universally relatable. This process results in layered, complex stories conveyed through her art.
Gendel’s creative process, embracing both control and chaos, involves developing scenes, characters, and situations using a variety of colors, mark-making techniques, and elements of chance. She often paints over existing works or recreates the same image in different colors and sizes.
Her approach includes painting and repainting heads and faces until they achieve a sense of resolution, subtly or dramatically altering the unfolding story. This method mirrors the shifting identities of her characters, allowing the narratives to evolve continuously. Gendel often discovers her subjects through unexpected outcomes, a balance of intentionality and spontaneity being a distinction of her style.
Jackie Gendel’s paintings depict lively scenes with abstract figures, particularly women, often shown dancing, talking, and gathering in various settings. Through these scenes, a narrative unfolds, spotlighting the enduring significance of women’s experiences.
Through her work, Gendel challenges the masculine conventions of modernism by often centering on the female form. She draws inspiration from diverse sources, including 19th-century French painting and the political girl groups of the post-punk era. These influences are evident in the vibrant spirit that permeates her art.
Currently on display at the Philip Martin Gallery in Los Angeles, CA, Jackie Gendel’s exhibit, The Architect’s Daughters, from June 29 to August 3, 2024. To view Jackie’s current exhibition “” click here.
While a traditional author writes a story through words, Jackie Gendel paints. Her art is not just about what is seen but also about the stories that resonate long after the canvas is viewed.
Featured in our collection below, Tea and Kisses, 2021.
