Works by Lavaughan Jenkins, "Nigel the Watcher," left, and "The Watchman," right, 2023, acrylic and spray paint over spackle, foam, and steel piping, 53 inches x 18 inches x 24 inches and 53 inches x 31 inches x 25 inches, respectively.Works by painter, printmaker and sculptor Lavaughan Jenkins will be on exhibition June 9-Aug. 12, presented by the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts.
Jenkins uses his brush to expand conventional notions of painting beyond the boundaries of traditional, two-dimensional surface mediums. He uses paint as structural layering to create 3D figures that protrude from his canvases. Similarly, he builds layers of paint upon blank figures to give shape and depth to the bodies of his subjects.
Drawing from his own personal experiences of harassment and racial profiling by law enforcement, Jenkins’ AEIVA exhibition “The Watcher and the Watchman” addresses the national discussion regarding racism and abuse of force by police. Nigel, a recurring character in Jenkins’ work, serves as a stand-in for protectors and protestors of every color who march and fight against white supremacy, and the experiences of those who have suffered at the receiving end.
An opening reception is planned from 6-8 p.m. Friday, June 9, in AEIVA, 1221 10th Ave. South. AEIVA is open noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Admission is free and open to the public. Visit uab.edu/aeiva for more information. Also on exhibition are works by Delrico Gibson, “Strings of Gratitude,” and Vadis Turner’s “She Drank Gold.”
Jenkins has recently shown at Kabinet Gallery, Abigail Ogilvy Gallery and the Fitchburg art museum. In 2016, he was named the Emerging Artist at Kingston Gallery in Boston, Massachusetts. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and has exhibited his work widely at venues including Gallery Kayafas, Lens Gallery and the Arts Research Collaborative Gallery, as well as at the Oasis Gallery in Beijing, China. Jenkins is a recipient of the 2015 Blanche E. Colman Award and the Rob Moore Grant in Painting, and the 2018 James and Audrey Foster Prize. Jenkins was raised in Pensacola, Florida, and currently creates his work in Boston.