This week John sits down with visual artist, poet, and death care professional Alexandra Jo to discuss her journey as a queer artist, suicide, our culture's complicated relationship with death, eroticism and much more.
All images © Alexandra Jo
Slides 1 - 3
BFA Thesis Exhibition Installation View at University of Alabama Visual Arts Gallery 2011
self portrait in grave dirt dirt harvested from the gravesites of my family members in Alabama dating back to the mid 1800’s, steel, wood glue. 6’ x 2.5’ x 2’. 2011
family tree map (maternal) “death masks” for each member of my direct maternal family tree dating back to 1650, using casts of my own face. Dirt harvested from the graves of my maternal relatives, wax, graphite, paper, ink, thread. Dimensions variable (this installation approx. 40’ x 22’.) 2011.
Slides 4 - 6
Material Passage Installation View Exhibition at Coop Gallery in Nashville, TN January 2018
ritual document II Plaster, resin, dye, magnolia leaves, magnolia seed pods, wood harvested from from Bell’s Bend, TN, thread, ceramics, sodium tetra-borate crystals, plexiglass, pine. Approx. 36” x 48” x 30.” 2018.
love letter Magnolia leaves, thread, cyanotype photographs processed in the Great Salt Lake, salt crystals. Approx. 24” x 12.” 2017
Slides 7 - 8
On Being Solid installation view Exhibition at Mixed Greens Gallery (Chelsea, NYC) June 2014
Raleigh, 1965 Fabric, plaster, fiberglass, wood, inkjet prints on plexiglass, thread. Dimensions variable (approx. 96” x 120” x 9”). 2013.
Slides 9 - 10
Alexandra Jo: Quiver and Tempt Burlesque photos