Samuel Levi Jones

Samuel Levi Jones is an American artist renowned for his assemblage art and paintings that frequently explore African-American history and identity using historically sourced materials. Many of his works are abstract.

Biography of Samuel Levi Jones

Jones was born in 1978 in Marion, Indiana, into an African-American family. Samuel Levi Jones has a personal connection to the historical events of Marion, Indiana, as he is the great nephew, through marriage, of Abraham S. Smith. Smith was one of the two men who were tragically and publicly lynched in Marion in 1930. This familial tie to a painful chapter in his hometown's history has undoubtedly influenced and shaped Jones's perspective on issues of race, justice, and societal inequities, which are recurring themes in his powerful artwork.

Samuel Levi Jones discovered his passion for the visual arts while studying Communication Studies at Taylor University. Taking a photography class during his final semester sparked his artistic journey. Continuing his education, Jones pursued photography at the Herron School of Art and Design, where his talent earned him the prestigious Junior Bratton Award.

Further expanding his artistic horizons, Jones pursued a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in Studio Art at Mills College. During this time, he began incorporating books into his artwork, marking a transformative phase in his creative process.

After completing his education, Samuel Levi Jones embarked on a vibrant artistic career. Primarily based in Chicago, Illinois, he has established himself as an influential contemporary artist.

Samuel Levi Jones's art style

Driven by his passion for addressing social issues and challenging established narratives, Jones actively engaged with various mediums and materials. Jones's work often involves the use of found objects and discarded materials, such as deconstructed books, textbooks, encyclopedias, and other printed materials. By repurposing and transforming these materials, he creates abstract compositions that challenge traditional notions of artmaking and provoke thoughtful reflection.

In his abstract compositions, Jones employs a layered and tactile approach. The fragmented pages and exposed bindings of books, combined with other mixed media elements, create textured surfaces that invite viewers to consider the complex narratives embedded within the materials.

Through his choice of materials, Jones engages with broader socio-political contexts, addressing issues of power, history, and social inequality. Themes of social consciousness, racial identity, trauma, and memory are recurrent in Jones's art. He delves into the legacies of historical events, interrogating collective memory and how they shape contemporary society. Through his art, he prompts conversations around historical injustices, resilience, and the ongoing struggle for social equality. His art serves as a platform for exploring and questioning societal structures and systemic injustices.

Exhibitions of Samuel Levi Jones

In 2019, the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields hosted Jones's first solo exhibition, "Samuel Levi Jones: Left of Center." Other notable solo exhibitions throughout his career include "The Empire is Falling" at The Dayton Contemporary in Ohio, "Left of Center" at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields in Indiana, and "Unbound" at the Studio Museum in Harlem in New York.

Jones's work is now a part of public museum collections, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Rubell Museum, the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).