This archive report was first published on 23 August 2019.
On August 18, 2019, Jess Atieno bid farewell to Kenya as she departed for the US to study art at the prestigious Chicago School of the Art Institute. Before leaving, she gifted the art world with her first solo exhibition at Red Hill Gallery, 'To stand on a Grain of Wheat.'
Her latest collection of delicate etchings was a revelation, showcasing her newfound technique and artistic voice. The show, which opened just before her departure, was a testament to her growth as an artist, building upon her previous solo exhibition in 2015, 'Full Frontal.'
Etching is the technique Jess encountered during an art residency at the Hyde Park art Centre in 2017. She has since perfected this skill, producing a collection of almost 20 prints, which were showcased at Red Hill Gallery. The prints were grouped in series of two or three like-minded works, with a few solo images, and were crafted over the last few months, except for three, which were created after she read Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi's book, 'Kintu.'
Jess's etchings are a testament to her fascination with the human body, but now, she has inspired by internal aspects of the bodily form, both the mental and the physical. Her designs seem almost improvisational, as if she'd been delighted to doodle on Perspex plates using a needle-like metal 'pen' which has given her the means to control her lines and designs with delicacy.
Each plate produces no more than three prints, but in each cluster of three, the first one is striking for its cellular black and white clarity. The second and third etchings are denser, more deeply drawn and detailed, with the effect of Jess etching other plates and printing atop the initial design, creating a fascinating transformation.
One must look deeply into the denser works to find the original etching, which is now embedded and transformed into a wholly new work of art. Yet, the etching and printmaking techniques are not straightforward, and one can see how they have evolved and subtly morphed as one moves from cluster to cluster.
Jess's art is varied, with one print, 'Kuliko Maji,' containing undulating images that come alive with a vibrancy that begs to be identified as beautiful African dancers. The beauty of abstract art is that one can read anything or nothing into it, and in the case of 'Standing on a Grain of Wheat,' at least a portion of Jess's etchings seem to emerge from the subconscious, a realm often associated with the spiritual and the finest poetry.
