jennifer packer
Jennifer Packer is an artist and portraitist whose works incorporate perception, memory, and politics. They question the viewer's privilege as well as the manner in which the Black body has been portrayed and observed throughout history.
Jennifer Packer was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Growing up, she was exposed to art through her mother, who was a quilter, and her father, who was a photographer.
Packer attended the Tyler School of Art at Temple University, where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting in 2007. She then went on to earn her Master of Fine Arts degree from Yale University in 2012. Packer relocated to the Bronx after finishing her MFA and eventually became an assistant professor in the painting department at Rhode Island School of Design, where she now teaches.
Packer's works are notable for their unique use of painting and drawing techniques. She usually employs a range of elements such as charcoal, ink, and oil paint to produce her stunning works.
Her art is distinguished by a strong sense of texture and color, as well as by a deep affection for the human form. The way Packer depicts her portraits is one of the most remarkable aspects of her art; her figures are frequently in repose, as if taking a rest from the rapidly changing world around them. Her color palette is frequently subdued and peaceful, evoking feelings of relaxation and tranquility.
On the right: The Body has Memory, 2018
Packer has been influenced by social justice movements, as seen by her floral art, which depicts systemic violence against African Americans and the subsequent sorrow.
Her personal depictions of friends, family, and flowers allude to the art historical forms of portraiture and still life, while also emphasizing the politics of representation. Her paintings alternate between the portrayal of faithfulness and abstract freedom. This declaration of clarity and opacity imbues her paintings with the same complexity she finds in the Black sitters that populate her art—and the globe.
On the left: Say Her Name, 2017
Packer's works may be seen at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Jimenez-Colon Collection, and the Studio Museum in Harlem, among other places.
In addition to her artistic achievements, Packer is also a dedicated teacher and mentor. She has taught at a number of institutions, including Yale University, Columbia University, and Rutgers University. Through her teaching, she has inspired countless students to pursue their own artistic passions.
Above: Jess, 2018
“We belong here. We deserve to be seen and acknowledged in real time. We deserve to be heard and to be imaged with shameless generosity and accuracy.”
On the left: A Lesson in Longing, 2019