Jenna Gribbon
I’m just starting to learn about Jenn Gribbon. Her work ‘Bathing Statues’ is a piece I have thought about repeatedly over the last year. I like to try to figure out what is going on in the painting.
Bathing Statues - 2014
The first work by Gribbon that caught my attention was ‘Bathing Statues’. Its a rough work, but I also struggle to imagine how it could be any better.
What I like are the brush marks, the black water and shadows. The idea that these are statues and then imagining why they would be in a pool like that.
I haven’t seen very much of Gribbon’s work yet. Most of it is not 100% my cup of tea, but its well executed. Gribbon seems to be focused on repeatedly painting a figure called ‘M’ in some of her paintings.
Paint my Fury - 2024
This work, while being well done, isn’t working for me. ‘M’ seems to have a female ‘fury’ or rage about something. She is so angry her vagina is on fire. She also is naked and as beautiful as any Vogue model. I’m not sure what she is trying to say… “I hate all men because they subject me so here I am naked for you to look at”???
For myself, this painting and its larger body of work is akin to someone like Madonna getting upset with being objectified and then starting a campaign against the objectification by taking over the top naked photos of themselves in outraged positions.
Damn it, that would be kind of cool. I don’t think Gribbon is intending that.
When her work does work better, in my opinion, Gribbon is evoking a more domestic tranquility. For example in this work ‘Box Opener’.
Box Opener - 2023
What gets me with this painting are the colors. The lady is naked in a utilitarian manner so I suspect that this painting is depicting a humid hot southern summer late afternoon. The yellowy greens out the windows convey a satisfying contrast with the inner cool dark black infused pallet.
Current Opinion:
I haven’t seen enough of her work. From what I have seen, to me there is enough breadth to her ambition and skill in execution to make me take note. The fact that she has painted at least 2 superior works (in my opinion) puts her in a group of artists that I am tracking.
More on Gribbon in the future. THis is just a rough start.