Artist Jess Allen’s secret to happiness | Unit

Discover Jess Allen’s profound exhibition This Is Now at Unit, the artist’s first solo show with the gallery.

Allen’s paintings are powerfully subtle, suggesting presence rather than depicting it. The characters in her works are often defined only by their shadows and silhouettes, representative of feelings and moods rather than features. Their inclusion questions whether these shadows are cast by protagonists within the painting? Or by the artist perhaps? Or the viewer themselves?

Central to 'This Is Now' is the artist’s ability to elevate the mundane to the sublime, finding great emotional depth in aspects of everyday domesticity that are often overlooked. Books, chairs, sofa cushions are all focused on as key sites of human connection, as Allen illustrates the unspoken relationships between these objects and their anonymous owners.

This Is Now runs at Unit London from 13 March – 21 April 2024.

Join us at Unit on 14 March, 6:30 – 8:30pm, for an exclusive Private View of the exhibition.

[ac]

Always lovely to hear an artist talk about their work. Jess' work is ethereal yet tangible (shimmering shadows but so easily interpreted within our minds).

[lostx]

I would love to see a video of her painting. I’m so curious about the technique she uses to blur

[solb]

Sounds like she rebranded her oeuvre with shadows. Interesting work and she’s right about finding contentment with a simple life.

[artbylarry]

To claim you have the secret to happiness is on another level

[cindyoverall]

Whenever a so called artist has to verbally defend their work, then their egos are the real subjects.

[solb]

Sounds like she rebranded her oeuvre with shadows. Interesting work and she’s right about finding contentment with a simple life.