Jae Jarrell
Jae Jarrell (b. 1935, Cleveland, OH) is a fashion designer, painter, sculptor, and a founding member of AfriCOBRA (African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists)*. AfriCOBRA, founded on the South Side of Chicago in 1968 by a collective of young Black artists, created one of the most distinctive visual voices in 20th Century American art through the exploration of their interest in Transnational Black. The characteristics of the classic AfriCOBRA look are vibrant “Cool Ade” colors, bold text and positive images of Black people, essential to everyday life in the community from which the movement emerged. AfriCOBRA established a philosophical and aesthetic foundation for the Black Arts movement of the 1960s, and 70s. The founders’ vision has its roots in the streets, classrooms, studios, and living rooms of the South Side of Chicago, yet its impact has extended around the world, influencing artists such as Kerry James Marshall and Kehinde Wiley. Throughout her career, Jae has celebrated the struggles, strengths and beauty of African Americans in her art.
Jae Jarrell (b. 1935, Cleveland, OH) is a fashion designer, painter, sculptor, and a founding member of AfriCOBRA (African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists)*. AfriCOBRA, founded on the South Side of Chicago in 1968 by a collective of young Black artists, created one of the most distinctive visual voices in 20th Century American art through the exploration of their interest in Transnational Black. The characteristics of the classic AfriCOBRA look are vibrant “Cool Ade” colors, bold text and positive images of Black people, essential to everyday life in the community from which the movement emerged. AfriCOBRA established a philosophical and aesthetic foundation for the Black Arts movement of the 1960s, and 70s. The founders’ vision has its roots in the streets, classrooms, studios, and living rooms of the South Side of Chicago, yet its impact has extended around the world, influencing artists such as Kerry James Marshall and Kehinde Wiley. Throughout her career, Jae has celebrated the struggles, strengths and beauty of African Americans in her art.
Jae Jarrell is known for her revolution-themed clothing. Her garments exalt black families and culture and are worn by the artist in her daily life. Her grandfather was a professional tailor, and her uncle was a haberdasher and sold the notions needed for sewing. Jae taught herself how to make her own clothing, and reveled in the fact that her fashion was unique, and had a secret vintage past. Jarrell has deftness for combining a variety of media. In her practice she combines her passion for music and the board game Scrabble. Akin to the core values of the AfriCOBRA collective, jazz occupies a global presence and demonstrates to the world the creativity and innovation belonging to Black artists. However, it is not uncommon for the brilliant work of a Black artist to be celebrated while their personhood or identity is forgotten.
Exhibitions from the past years include Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power organized by Tate Modern which traveled to Brooklyn Museum of Art, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, The Broad, and ended at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Mrs. Jarrell was also featured in We Wanted a Revolution: Black Radical Women 1965-1985, AfricaCOBRA: Nation Time an official collateral event of the 58th Venice Biennale, Cleveland Museum of Art, Smart Museum of Art, ICA Boston, and MoCA North Miami. Other recent exhibitions The Time Is Now! Art Worlds of Chicago’s South Side 1960-1980 at the Smart Museum of Art, the Toronto Biennial of Art, The Freedom Principle: Experiments in Art and Music, 1965 to Now at MCA Chicago, ICA Philadelphia, and The Studio Museum in Harlem, and Heritage: Wadsworth and Jae Jarrell at The Cleveland Museum of Art. Mrs. Jarrell is in institutional collections including the Brooklyn Museum of Art, Rennie Collection, and the Smart Museum of Art. In 2022 Wadsworth and Jae Jarrell will have solo exhibitions at Jenkins Johnson Gallery. She lives and works in Cleveland, OH. Mrs. Jarrell attended the Art Institute of Chicago and Howard University.
*Five AfriCOBRA Founding Members:
Jeff Donaldson, Jae Jarrell, Wadsworth Jarrell, Barbara Jones-Hogu and Gerald Williams.
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Art Basel | Miami Beach
Miami, FL 29 Nov - 3 Dec 2022Jenkins Johnson Gallery were thrilled to participate in Art Basel Miami Beach. The fair took place at the Miami Beach Convention Center from November 29...Read more -
Art Basel
Basel, Switzerland 16 - 19 Jun 2022Jenkins Johnson Gallery exhibited at Art Basel,which occured June 16-19, 2022. We presented the works of Lisa Corinne Davis, Jae Jarrell, Wadsworth Jarrell, Gordon Parks,...Read more -
EXPO Chicago
Chicago, IL 7 - 10 Apr 2022Jenkins Johnson Gallery exhibited at EXPO Chicago,which occured April 7-10, 2022. We presented the works of Lisa Corinne Davis, Alex Jackson, Jae Jarrell, Wadsworth Jarrell,...Read more -
FOG Design + Art
San Francisco, CA 19 - 23 Jan 2022Jenkins Johnson Gallery exhibited at FOG Design + Art, which occured January 19-23, 2022 at Fort Mason Center. We presented the works of Dewey Crumpler,...Read more -
Art Basel Miami Beach
Miami, FL 1 - 4 Dec 2021Jenkins Johnson will present artists who explore social and political issues of the Black Diaspora by bridging historical and contemporary moments: Jae and Wadsworth Jarrell,...Read more -
The Art Show
New York, NY 3 - 7 Nov 2021Jenkins Johnson Gallery was pleased to partake in The Art Show 2021 at the Park Avenue Armory from November 3 through November 7th, 2021. We...Read more -
FIAC
Online Viewing Room 4 - 7 Mar 2021Jenkins Johnson Gallery was pleased to participte in FIAC's Online Viewing Rooms 2021. We presented a selection of works by Dewey Crumpler, Lisa Corinne Davis,...Read more -
South South Veza
Online Viewing Room 23 Feb - 7 Mar 2021Jenkins Johnson Gallery was proud to participate in South South Veza. The virtual platform was live from February 23, 2021 at 1pm GMT with a...Read more -
Art Basel Miami Beach
Miami Beach, FL 3 - 6 Dec 2020Jenkins Johnson presented artists who explore social and political issues of the Diaspora by linking past and contemporary moments. To strengthen this connection, we will...Read more -
Art Basel OVR:20c
Virtual Art Fair 28 - 31 Oct 2020Jenkins Johnson presents three artists who explore environmental, social and political issues of the Black Diaspora: Aubrey Williams and Jae and Wadsworth Jarrell. Williams, a...Read more -
Frieze London
London, England 7 - 16 Oct 2020Jenkins Johnson’s artists explore social, environmental and political issues, connecting past and present moments. Twentieth century and contemporary artists are: Kwame Brathwaite, Lisa Corrine Davis,...Read more -
Frieze New York
New York, NY 6 - 15 May 2020From May 8 - 15, 2020, Jenkins Johnson Gallery will exhibit at Frieze New York ‘s virtual viewing room . Our viewing room will feature...Read more -
FOG Design + Art
San Francisco, CA 15 - 19 Jan 2020Jenkins Johnson Gallery is pleased to announce its participation in FOG Design + Art at Fort Mason Center, January 15-19, 2020 in Booth 304. We...Read more