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In Jess Allen's artworks, the characters remain enigmatic, often glimpsed only through the shadows they cast across vacant furniture or positioned with their backs turned to the viewer.
Instead of unraveling their mysteries, Allen’s portraits serve as introspective reflections, prompting us to ponder whether these shadows belong to figures within the painting, the artist herself, or even the observer.
By magnifying seemingly mundane moments of daily life, Allen uncovers profound layers of significance within the ordinary and overlooked aspects of domesticity.
Her focused compositions zoom in on the symbols of attachment, connecting objects to their owners, as she infuses each piece with personal references to her own home, family, and past works.
Despite the term “fills,” her paintings actually confront a deep sense of absence, contemplating aftermaths rather than actions. As viewers, we’re left with mere traces of human presence—plumped sofa cushions or abandoned books—that hint at a deeper significance to their anonymous users.
Allen’s bold use of raking light creates stark contrasts between sharp shadows and over-exposed surfaces, illuminating objects with a warm radiance.
Through her subtle compositions and the recurring exploration of themes, Allen evokes comparisons to Italian mid-century painter Giorgio Morandi. Both artists possess a keen gaze capable of transcending familiar forms, imbuing lifeless objects with an enigmatic vitality.
Through her subtle compositions and the recurring exploration of themes, Allen evokes comparisons to Italian mid-century painter Giorgio Morandi. Both artists possess a keen gaze capable of transcending familiar forms, imbuing lifeless objects with an enigmatic vitality.
With layered elements of artifice and autobiography, Allen’s paintings evoke the sensation of partially recalled dreams—ephemeral yet hauntingly familiar. Her delicate manipulation of light reinforces this disorienting quality, where everything is visible yet remains shrouded in ambiguity.
Artist: Jess Allen
