The Queue: Beyond The Surface | Nneka Jones
April 2022
In this exhibition, Nneka Jones comments on topics such as identity, stereotypes and the digital age. Jones embeds and camouflages portraiture, making some of her subjects almost unrecognizable. Contrasting technological symbols, such as barcodes and QR-codes, with the soft edges and skin tones of the figure, Jones creates a timely discussion on humanism vs. futurism. She brings to light a growing struggle to maintain true identity in the face of our highly influential social media sites. Jones believes social technologies create a digital mask ultimately causing issues with mental health and social segregation. She aims to magnify these issues in the hope of starting conversations surrounding identity and unity.
Nneka Jones grew up in the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago. She uses embroidery to create moving, representational images, usually portraits, to reflect on social issues. Her astounding love for color and special attention to detail, as influenced by her culture, is prominent in her work. The twenty-three-year old artist graduated with a Bachelors in Fine Arts and a minor in Marketing from the University of Tampa in May 2020. She created a commission for TIME magazine to produce the cover artwork for the August 31st/ September 7th issue 2020 and now speaks at events like Adobe MAX, inspiring others to make their dreams a reality. https://www.artyouhungry.com/
