@JADEFAD: A SOCIAL MEDIA FEED IN PAINT
This exhibition comprised of 34 paintings spirals around the gallery in one continuous narrative. These works explore the desire to create a persona online, and the propulsion to constantly improve oneself as fads change. The paintings are the Instagram posts of Boardman’s invented character (and alter ego) Jade. The exhibition exists both physically in the gallery space, and online as a social media feed in the form of animated paintings. Jade's Instagram account @jadefad lives on as an archive of the exhibition after the gallery show closes. The exhibition catalogue contains an essay by Brigitte Mulholland, Director of Anton Kern Gallery in New York and an introduction by Amber Boardman.
PART ONE: Jade repeatedly tries to control and transform her body and environment. After drinking turpentine cocktails with friends at an open bar she disintegrates and realizes she is a character made of paint. She uses this self-knowledge to transform herself further.
PART TWO: Jade creates a character of her own Blob (a blob of paint), and posts the story of his life from birth to death in order to achieve 'Instagram Influencer' status,
PART THREE: Jade leverages her social media popularity in order to sell products; her line of 'hand painted sweaters'. The exhibition ends in "The Singularity Sweater", a reference to the moment artificial intelligence becomes self-aware.
PART ONE PART TWO PART THREE
Check out this new character I made. Introducing: the infant blob of paint
2016
oil on canvas
8 x 8in / 20 x 20cm
#TickleMonster. Me terrorizing Blob
2015
oil on canvas
28 x 36in / 71 x 92cm
A familial triangulation field day event with me, Blob and my sometimes boyfriend
2018
acrylic and oil on canvas
22 x 36in / 56 x 91cm
That time I caught Blob wearing my beanbag dress
2018
oil on canvas
36 x 48in / 91 x 122cm
#PunishedPainting. Blob's view of a timeout
2018
oil on canvas
9 x 12in / 23 x 30cm
#TeenTone. Blob and his friend looking angsty
2018
oil on canvas
14 x 48in / 35 x 45cm
#ClassConstruction. Blob on the job site
2018
oil on polyester
72 x 108in / 183 x 274cm
#GrilledPainting. That time Blob knocked back too many cold ones and fell into the grill on the 4th of July #StarsAndStripesForever
#AmericanDream
2018
oil on polyester
72 x 85in / 183 x 216cm
Blob hungover after a weekend bender. #TakeItEasyOnTheSauceBuddy
2015
oil on canvas
16 x 20in / 41 x 51cm
Blob recovering after an alcohol related injury #InternalFixation
2015
oil on canvas
28 x 36in / 71 x 92cm
Psychedelic hike
2018
oil on canvas
36 x 28in/ 91 x 71cm
#MachineOperator Blob realizes he is the sum of his deteriorating bodily processes
2018
oil on polyester
20 x 16in/ 51 x 41cm
Fortune teller in a nursing home
2018
oil on polyester
72 x 108in / 183 x 274cm
Paint rags in a landfill. RIP Blob. #YouWillBeMissed
2018
oil on canvas
60 x 48in / 153 x 122cm
PART ONE PART TWO PART THREE