Rachel Jones is a British artist best known for creating paintings, installations and performance art that explores a sense of self. Recently, she created the vibrant cover of Harper’s Bazaar annual art issue and is currently showcasing an online exhibition called “SMIIILLLLEEEE” via Thaddaeus Ropac.
To accompany the paintings on view, Jones pairs her vibrant canvases with several large text-based messaging, such as SON SHINE — presenting a prompt to the viewer as they view the work.
Where language fails, Jones uses oil pastel to create abstracted paintings that seek to elucidate existential questions surrounding identity. “It’s about emotion and inciting feelings that don’t have to be explained or expressed. It’s responsive, it’s instinctive, and a core part of all of us,” said the artist in a statement.