Artist Jason Driskill

Jason Driskill– Artist Statement

Although I didn’t realize it at the time, my formative years were riddled with religious fundamentalisms. Striving toward spiritual purity I compartmentalized my sexual development, refusing to acknowledge my increasingly undeniable gayness. Despite eventually coming to terms with my sexuality, I still feel compelled to make sense of the shift that took place in my self-perception, and the part of me that remains trapped between the religious and the sexual.

Digital collage becomes the vehicle for this investigation. I introduce images of myself to an assortment of mechanical schematics, instructional diagrams, gay pornography, religious and art historical iconography, references to popular culture, and the blindfolded figures from William Sheldon’s published photographic study on somatotyping in “The Atlas of Man.” Photoshop allows me to seamlessly integrate these elements together against a stark white background - a non-space that removes them from any context but the one created by their amalgamation.

Within each alchemic mélange, these symbols transform my image into something that is simultaneously me and not me – my ‘other,’ my animus, my id. Some of my collages serve as a sort of exorcism, others a baptism, and others a chance to contemplate the strictures of my physical being and my desire to be something more.

Resume

Education

2010 MFA candidate, San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA

2004 BFA, Watkins College of Art & Design, Nashville, TN

Exhibitions

Group

2009 Transitions, Diego Rivera Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2009 The Kinsey Institute 2009 Juried Art Show, SoFA Gallery, Bloomington, IN
2008 Dublin Electronic Arts Festival, Sebastian Guinness Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
2008 Dualities, Swell Gallery, San Francisco, CA
The Secret Show Series Exhibit, Visual Arts Gallery of the Renaissance Center, Dickson, TN
2007 I Often Shoot Myself, Diego Rivera Gallery, San Francisco CA
2007 Rituals, Swell Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2007 Fugitive Projects, The State of Mantua Music & Arts Festival, Ballaghaderreen Town, Ireland
2007 Thresholds of Identity, Swell Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2007 Selections from The Southern 60 Second Video Festival, Ausstellungsraum Klingental, Basel, Switzerland
2007 The Southern 60 Second Film Festival, Harmony Landing, Pegram, TN
2007 Hijacking the Future, Hugs and Kisses, SMFA Mission Hill Building Gallery, Boston, MA
2006 Between Code And Desire, Swell Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2006 The Horse You Came In On, A Secret Show, Nashville, TN
2006 Evoke, Invoke, Provoke: A Multimedia Project of Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
2006 Art Show, Beth Haley Design, Taylor Made Plans and Urban Décor, Nashville, TN
2006 Embodiment: Gender + Culture + Action: 2006 Women’s Studies Biennial Juried Art Exhibition, Loranger Architecture and Art Gallery, Detroit, MI
2006 The Secret Show Series Board of Directors Group Exhibition, Sewanee University, Sewanee, TN
2006 New Favorite Smell, a Secret Show, Nashville, TN
2006 Illuminate, the Fugitive Art Center, Nashville, TN
2005 Leper Beach Party, a Secret Show, Nashville, TN
2005 Deck the Walls, Union Station, Nashville, TN
2005 Dear Millard Fillmore…, a Secret Show, Nashville, TN
2005 Touchless Apparatus, a Secret Show, Nashville, TN
2005 Board Senseless, Ruby Green Gallery, Nashville, TN
2005 Phallacy, Watkins College of Art & Design, Nashville, TN
2005 Male Divine, Hanging Around Gallery, Nashville, TN
2005 Metrosexual Tent Revival, a Secret Show, Nashville, TN
2004 Drink or Die, a Secret Show, Nashville, TN
Brownlee O. Currey Student Art Exhibition (juried), Watkins College of Art & Design, Nashville, TN
2004 Fresh Cutz, a Secret Show, Nashville, TN
The Other White Meat, a Secret Show, Nashville, TN
2003 Sexistential Male, Chestnut Square, Nashville, TN
2003 Brownlee O. Currey Student Art Exhibition (juried), Watkins College of Art & Design, Nashville, TN

Publications

2009 The JOSH – Journal of Sexual Homos, Issue #2/Spring, Martin Masetto & Philip Tomaru
“Stripped: Uncensored” Bruno Gmunder
2008 “The Nude Male: 21st Century Visions” David Leddick, Universe Publishing, p. 72-73
2007 “Judy Chicago and Donald Woodman at Vanderbilt” Sculpture, Susan Knowles, Vol. 26 No. 2, p. 8-9, March 2007
2006 “Weakening Phallic Associations of Patriarchal Power, a Moment With Progressive Artist Jason Driskill” Orbis, Alex Kruzel, March 2006, p. 8-9
2005 “Secret Show Series” Shellie R. Warren, All the Rage, September 1, p. 57
2005 “Pixelvision” Nashville Scene, David Maddox, April 28, p.66
2005 “Trouble At Watkins,” Nashville Scene, John Spraggins and David Maddox, January 24, p. 5
2004 “After the Storm” Nashville Scene, David Maddox, November 4, p.10

Awards

2005 Nashville Scene Writers Choice: Best New Exhibition Space
2004 Nashville Scene Writers Choice: Best New Visual Arts Presenters
2003 Brownlee O. Currey Student Art Exhibition: Titanium Award (juried)

Professional Experience

2006 Lead Panelist, “Resisting the 97%: Group Art Shows Keep Art School Graduates Making Art,” Southeast College of Art Conference, Nashville, TN
2006 Visiting Artist, “Judy Chicago Multi-Media Project of Discovery,” Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
2006 Guest Speaker, “An Artist’s Growth Through Community Development” Seigel High School National Honors Art Society, Murfreesboro, TN
2006 Guest Artist, “Talk of the Town,” WTVF Nashville, TN
2005-07 Community Education Instructor, Watkins College of Art & Design, Nashville, TN
2004-06 Director & Curator, The Secret Show Series, Nashville, TN

Collections

The Kinsey Institute, Bloomington, IN



	Jason Driskill– Artist Statement Although I didn’t realize it at the time, my formative years were riddled with religious fundamentalisms. Striving toward spiritual purity I compartmentalized my sexual development, refusing to acknowledge my increasingly undeniable gayness. Despite eventually coming to terms with my sexuality, I still feel compelled to make sense of the shift that took place in my self-perception, and the part of me that remains trapped between the religious and the sexual. Digital collage becomes the vehicle for this investigation. I introduce images of myself to an assortment of mechanical schematics, instructional diagrams, gay pornography, religious and art historical iconography, references to popular culture, and the blindfolded figures from William Sheldon’s published photographic study on somatotyping in “The Atlas of Man.” Photoshop allows me to seamlessly integrate these elements together against a stark white background - a non-space that removes them from any context but the one created by their amalgamation. Within each alchemic mélange, these symbols transform my image into something that is simultaneously me and not me – my ‘other,’ my animus, my id. Some of my collages serve as a sort of exorcism, others a baptism, and others a chance to contemplate the strictures of my physical being and my desire to be something more. Resume Education 2010 MFA candidate, San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA 2004 BFA, Watkins College of Art & Design, Nashville, TN Exhibitions Group 2009 Transitions, Diego Rivera Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2009 The Kinsey Institute 2009 Juried Art Show, SoFA Gallery, Bloomington, IN 2008 Dublin Electronic Arts Festival, Sebastian Guinness Gallery, Dublin, Ireland 2008 Dualities, Swell Gallery, San Francisco, CA The Secret Show Series Exhibit, Visual Arts Gallery of the Renaissance Center, Dickson, TN 2007 I Often Shoot Myself, Diego Rivera Gallery, San Francisco CA 2007 Rituals, Swell Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2007 Fugitive Projects, The State of Mantua Music & Arts Festival, Ballaghaderreen Town, Ireland 2007 Thresholds of Identity, Swell Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2007 Selections from The Southern 60 Second Video Festival, Ausstellungsraum Klingental, Basel, Switzerland 2007 The Southern 60 Second Film Festival, Harmony Landing, Pegram, TN 2007 Hijacking the Future, Hugs and Kisses, SMFA Mission Hill Building Gallery, Boston, MA 2006 Between Code And Desire, Swell Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2006 The Horse You Came In On, A Secret Show, Nashville, TN 2006 Evoke, Invoke, Provoke: A Multimedia Project of Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 2006 Art Show, Beth Haley Design, Taylor Made Plans and Urban Décor, Nashville, TN 2006 Embodiment: Gender + Culture + Action: 2006 Women’s Studies Biennial Juried Art Exhibition, Loranger Architecture and Art Gallery, Detroit, MI 2006 The Secret Show Series Board of Directors Group Exhibition, Sewanee University, Sewanee, TN 2006 New Favorite Smell, a Secret Show, Nashville, TN 2006 Illuminate, the Fugitive Art Center, Nashville, TN 2005 Leper Beach Party, a Secret Show, Nashville, TN 2005 Deck the Walls, Union Station, Nashville, TN 2005 Dear Millard Fillmore…, a Secret Show, Nashville, TN 2005 Touchless Apparatus, a Secret Show, Nashville, TN 2005 Board Senseless, Ruby Green Gallery, Nashville, TN 2005 Phallacy, Watkins College of Art & Design, Nashville, TN 2005 Male Divine, Hanging Around Gallery, Nashville, TN 2005 Metrosexual Tent Revival, a Secret Show, Nashville, TN 2004 Drink or Die, a Secret Show, Nashville, TN Brownlee O. Currey Student Art Exhibition (juried), Watkins College of Art & Design, Nashville, TN 2004 Fresh Cutz, a Secret Show, Nashville, TN The Other White Meat, a Secret Show, Nashville, TN 2003 Sexistential Male, Chestnut Square, Nashville, TN 2003 Brownlee O. Currey Student Art Exhibition (juried), Watkins College of Art & Design, Nashville, TN Publications 2009 The JOSH – Journal of Sexual Homos, Issue #2/Spring, Martin Masetto & Philip Tomaru “Stripped: Uncensored” Bruno Gmunder 2008 “The Nude Male: 21st Century Visions” David Leddick, Universe Publishing, p. 72-73 2007 “Judy Chicago and Donald Woodman at Vanderbilt” Sculpture, Susan Knowles, Vol. 26 No. 2, p. 8-9, March 2007 2006 “Weakening Phallic Associations of Patriarchal Power, a Moment With Progressive Artist Jason Driskill” Orbis, Alex Kruzel, March 2006, p. 8-9 2005 “Secret Show Series” Shellie R. Warren, All the Rage, September 1, p. 57 2005 “Pixelvision” Nashville Scene, David Maddox, April 28, p.66 2005 “Trouble At Watkins,” Nashville Scene, John Spraggins and David Maddox, January 24, p. 5 2004 “After the Storm” Nashville Scene, David Maddox, November 4, p.10 Awards 2005 Nashville Scene Writers Choice: Best New Exhibition Space 2004 Nashville Scene Writers Choice: Best New Visual Arts Presenters 2003 Brownlee O. Currey Student Art Exhibition: Titanium Award (juried) Professional Experience 2006 Lead Panelist, “Resisting the 97%: Group Art Shows Keep Art School Graduates Making Art,” Southeast College of Art Conference, Nashville, TN 2006 Visiting Artist, “Judy Chicago Multi-Media Project of Discovery,” Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 2006 Guest Speaker, “An Artist’s Growth Through Community Development” Seigel High School National Honors Art Society, Murfreesboro, TN 2006 Guest Artist, “Talk of the Town,” WTVF Nashville, TN 2005-07 Community Education Instructor, Watkins College of Art & Design, Nashville, TN 2004-06 Director & Curator, The Secret Show Series, Nashville, TN Collections The Kinsey Institute, Bloomington, IN





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