Melanated Drip – Portia Jones
Statement
“Up until the age of five, I was racially colorblind. I viewed the world with rose colored glasses and held an expectation that life was equal for everybody. But once I grew up within a predominantly white neighborhood my perspective on life changed. Being Black has a narrative that is stained within my skin. Through the language of art I am able to discuss the navigation of spaces as an African American, dark-skinned female, and how it influences my everyday life and identity. I utilize different techniques such as drawing, painting, and printmaking, to convey different perspectives of my reality. My work challenges the boundaries of materials and media to create personal stories that display what is like living as a Black female.” —Portia Jones
Her exhibition, Melanated Drip, consisting of a large-scale 3-D assemblage combining fabric, wood, linoleum, archival paper, and plexiglass, is a physical representation of growing to love who she is through trials and tribulations and believing again in the dreams inside the bubbles.
Bio
Born in New Jersey, Portia Jones, graduated Vanderbilt University in May 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in medicine, health, and society and studio art. She is an interdisciplinary artist that works within ceramics, drawing, printmaking, and painting. Her work is inspired by her experience navigating different spaces as an African American, dark-skinned female. Through the use of different materials, Portia conveys textural and visual representations that capture the attention of her audience. Her style stems from a graphic perspective and utilizes lines to make a typographic surface. Portia wants to challenge the boundaries of both her skills and use of mediums to create pieces that will convey stories that are not only personal but relatable to others.
