"My sculpture is an exploration of human emotions, or emotional portraiture, using animals as my subject."
- Darla Jackson
Not two, and not one. (Detail), 6" x 3.5" x 1.5"
Hydrocal, Acrylic And Graphite
My sculpture is an exploration of human emotions, or emotional portraiture, using animals as my subject. In order to do this, I portray feelings as recognizable visual objects, or symbols, and combine them with other elements, such as the anthropomorphism of animals and use of strong body language, to create a duality. By removing the human and replacing the subject with an animal, I can convey these emotions and ideas in a way that is more inclusive and approachable for all viewers. The use of animals often also elicits empathy from the viewer. The end result is familiarity with an oddness that makes it compelling and leaves the viewer asking questions.
Lost, 9" x 8" x 5", Hydrocal, Acrylic And Graphite
Darla Jackson is a sculptor living and working in Philadelphia. She received a BFA in Sculpture from Moore College of Art in 2003, and after receiving a John S. and James L. Knight Arts Challenge Grant in both 2011 and 2013, founded the Philadelphia Sculpture Gym, a membership based community sculpture studio.
Her work has been shown locally in galleries and museums such as the Philadelphia Art Alliance, Seraphin Gallery, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the Woodmere Art Museum, and a Wind Challenge exhibition at the Fleisher Art Memorial, and across the country at galleries such as Thinkspace Gallery in Culver City, California, the Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts in Wilmington, and Antler Gallery in Portland, Oregon. She has shown internationally in Belgium and Germany and has lectured about her work at venues including The Barnes Foundation.
Jackson currently teaches Figure Modeling at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Animal Sculpture at the Fleisher Art Memorial and Mixed Media Sculpture at Stockton University.