Artist Jaclyn Conley: “Painting is not a loud voice” | Louisiana Channel

We visited Jaclyn Conley in her studio outside New Haven and met an artist who wanders between the grand masters of painting and her contemporary images of reflection and silent protest.

“I would be a novelist over a documentarian. I love research. I love finding facts. I love gathering information, history, and ideas. And yet, that space of imagining is ultimately what's really important. And I like that openness, that invitation for someone to enter the picture, relate, and empathize. I do hope that people are able to reflect on their own time, looking at these pictures.”

“I don't know that I see these paintings as proposing any kind of answers. I do remain hopeful, although it's difficult at times. I think there are countries, but then there's people who make up the countries, and we're part of that.”

“Another thing that has been introduced in the paintings recently is the issue of or the idea of change, the idea of cycles, the idea of things happening over and over again, and thinking about progress as not a destination. And seeing that not as a failure, but as somehow a beautiful part of being a human.”

Jaclyn Conley (b. 1979) was born in Ontario, Canada, and is now based in New Haven, Connecticut. Conley has exhibited nationally and internationally at venues including The Painting Center, NY, NurtureArt, NY, Projective City, Paris, Wynick-Tuck Gallery, Toronto, and the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield CT. Conley has been an artist in residence at NXTHVN, the Vermont Studio Center, and The Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, Canada. She was the recipient of a Connecticut Office of the Arts Fellowship, Canada Council for the Arts Visual Arts Project Grants, an Elizabeth Greenshields Award, and a Fellowship from the Sam and Adele Golden Foundation.

Conley’s work is featured in several prominent collections, including Ann and Mel Schaffer Family Collection, South Orange, NJ; Barack and Michelle Obama Family Collection, USA; Burger Collection; Ellen and Stephen Susman Collection, TX; Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Italy; High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA; ICA Miami, FL; Jay Chou Collection, Taiwan; Jesse Williams Collection, Woodland Hills, CA; Kistefos Collection, Norway; Maloney Collection, IL; Marian Collection, Belgium; Vanhaerents Collection, Belgium; Vanthournout Collection, Belgium.

Jaclyn Conley was interviewed by Marc-Christoph Wagner in her studio near New Haven, Connecticut, in May 2024.

Camera: Jarl Therkelsen Kaldan
Edited by: Jarl Therkelsen Kaldan
Produced by: Marc-Christoph Wagner
Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2024

Louisiana Channel is supported by Den A.P. Møllerske Støttefond, Ny Carlsbergfondet, C.L. Davids Fond og Samling and Fritz Hansen.

#art #artistinterview #painter

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[StudioLaternow]

I am blown away by the work I've seen in this video. So many layers, so much effort, so many details, I feel in love today!

[Creativeassemblages]

Always look forward to your videos. An amazing painter. Love how Conley talks about her works.

[marymc]

Brilliant. Very positive and inspiring. A great idea and her abstract style of painting with collage gives a dappled sunlight and shadow effect that looks like memories, unfinished, just as she said. I love it.

[nipeaus]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 This was so interesting, I really appreciate it when an artist talks about their process and what motivates them to create. Congratulations, amazing work and a beautiful clip.

[lu_re]

This is the most interesting work I’ve seen in so many years. Love her method, her interest in history/references and the culmination or outcome of her work

[ignaciohernandez]

Wonderful video and artist. I love how she brought the Bruegel influence into her current work. Also, that is one seriously gorgeous studio space. A dream.

[LowTideComics]

Such a peaceful voice. Thank you for shining through your painted stories. :)

[NosyRosyWorld]

WaoW! Thought provoking, Mindful, Brilliant Art - it nudges and whispers insights. #SouthAfricaLove to you Jaclyn!

[fabianthaesler]

A great loud and hopefully often seen and heard 'quieter' artist voice! Thanks for sharing! :-)

[pablopicoso]

I hope she’s doing well in her sales. Very thoughtful words derived from the act and passion of making art.

[RapidBlindfolds]

beautiful product and beautiful process, never heard of an artist reusing their old works for new pieces. sounds very early cubist

[RapidBlindfolds]

PS her work also reminds me of Calore Chiara. less well known artist but deserves to be much better known, supremely talented

[terrydote]

Love the work but she should invest in a scroll saw

[patrickmcdaniel]

Have you thought about taking some drawing lessons?

[Alexandra-qcwp]

Trying to torment me, I sell to private collectors, galleries are dead after NFT