A solo exhibition of Ariel René Jackson's (MFA in Studio Art, 2017) film-based work is presented by Austin-based gallery Women & Their Work in the exhibition titled, A Welcoming Place. The exhibition pays homage to a social justice tradition of oral communication and codependency where Black and Brown Indigenous people point out environmental manifestations—historical and societal markers of anti-blackness that pervade colonized landscapes. In this work Jackson translates a sense of mobility and confidence to convey the protection and care within their community. A Welcoming Place will be on view from January 18 – March 3, 2022.
Jackson’s recent work explores the term ‘forecasting’ as an artistic lens in social engagement via re-coding meteorological language as a means to shift perspectives of what is understood as knowable. Forecasting, Jackson argues, is the product of ‘taking temperature’ of an area, a practice of communication and codependency that relies on pointing out systemic forms and manifestations of anti-blackness in colonized landscapes. Forecasting is not a metaphor for hive mind mentality but rather an argument for acknowledging and legitimizing the collective memory of marginalized groups. Forecasting is not only a broad acknowledgement of seeking alternative entry points when approaching a hostile region or when faced with environmental disasters; forecasting is also a method of risk calculation based on historical events and communal trust.
Associated programming for the exhibition will include a 24 hour online screening on Tuesday, February 1, 2022; the day prior to a virtual panel discussion and online reception with Jackson and special guests. On February 19, Women & Their Work, in collaboration with Art Galleries at Black Studies and the Visual Arts Center, will present a professional development workshop for art educators.