Bio

Deborah Jack received her M.F.A. from the University at Buffalo. Her work is based in photography, painting, video/sound installation, and text, and deals with trans-cultural existence, memory, re-memory and hurricanes. She has had residencies at Lightwork and Big Orbit Gallery, and received several grants and fellowships. Her art has been exhibited in solo and group shows nationally, internationally and in major group exhibits, and is part of the collection of the Island Government of St. Martin and other collections. Jack is currently assistant professor of art at New Jersey City University. www.deborahjack.com

Statement

As a multi-media artist I deploy many strategies for mining sites of cultural memory, and negotiating a global present. The resonance of traumatic historical events in my personal and cultural memory is at the core of my work. I am intrigued by concept of renewed memory, memory as a trigger and as a means for exploring the dismembering of the histories, cultures, traditions, families, and personal memories of my community. My work seeks to articulate an historical and cultural injury in a way that tries to avoid and subvert images of suffering and victim-hood that have been visual hot buttons in the past. I am interested in seducing the eye with scenic aspects of landscape and the potential for the betrayal that can come from closer examination of these seemingly “innocent” and “untouched” places/bodies.