Rounding the door to Jean Gray Mohs studio 110 at Art Space, my jaw instantly dropped when I spotted her latest collection. Her white studio walls are filled with graphic wooden shapes painted bold and vibrant colors beckoning me to come take a closer look.
On view exclusively online at Charlotte Russell Contemporary the month of February, this sculptural collection is a continuation of Jean Gray's Woven Stranger series which narrates the resilience of the human body and her own health journey as the recipient of a double lung transplant.
In this collection, she continues to use her signature materials wood and thread, as symbols for strength and fragility, but this body of work leans in a more playful direction. Jean Gray's material choice is by design. For her, paint is representative of breath, water, erosion, personality, obstacles, and time. Wood is a representative of strength, rigidity, and weight. Waxed thread is representative of binding, movement, play, and fragility.
The title of the exhibit, Tie Tight Knots, XOXO, is a reference to launching this collection during Valentine's Day. This work is a nod to her mother and to her brother and the pieces are inspired by the organ of the heart, but also playfully inspired by the theme of Valentine's. The four wooden hearts titled BFF, Be mine, Be Cool, and I'm Yours, in particular are meant to organically mimic Valentine's heart candy.
It is no secret that I am obsessed with Jean Gray Mohs work. I wake up every morning looking at her piece, Tides, hanging next to my bed! This is my fourth exhibition of her sculptural pieces. What I love about this collection in particular is how she expands her Woven Strangers series in a more dimensional direction as if breathing air into the wood itself. This collection is playful to. Art does not always need to be serious, it can also be fun.
My greatest joy of being a curator is seeing an artist evolve and grow. Jean Gray continues to push the box with her evolving practice. I hope you enjoy this vibrant and fun collection of pieces as much as I do!
