Insecurities 2017

Curator: Jammie Holmes’ acrylic on canvas, "Insecurities", from 2017. It’s a potent example of his expressive style, drawing from both Abstract Expressionism and street art aesthetics. Editor: My immediate reaction is visceral. It’s raw, like an exposed nerve. The disfigured features, the garish colours, and frenetic energy, create a portrait of palpable discomfort. Curator: It’s interesting you use the word "discomfort." Holmes’ work frequently grapples with socio-political issues affecting the Black community. Looking at this, you can see how insecurities are socially produced. The crown of thorns, almost like a distorted halo, above the figure's head hints at suffering. Editor: Right. The artist uses very active brushstrokes here. See how thick the paint is, creating a very tactile quality? It brings the raw, unrefined energy of the streets inside. Look at how the words "Gold Chain" are painted crudely and the toothy grin… is this referencing a critique of capitalist aspirations? Curator: Absolutely. It's a commentary on how success can be performative, masking deeper vulnerabilities. The teeth, which some viewers read as a sign of threat, I find speak more to a sense of enforced joy, a masking of fear and pain, that resonates powerfully within discourses on Black masculinity. Editor: I hadn't thought about the role of masquerade here. The title "Insecurities" plays directly into that too. Given its materiality, do you see "Insecurities" as high art, or something closer to graffiti? The labour that goes into making the physical object of the artwork is evident here, right? Curator: This duality is key. Holmes takes conventions linked to street art and infuses them with personal narrative and references, raising questions about how museums can or can’t be spaces to create a broader understanding of the Black experience, where those individual stories matter. It complicates how we think about high and low art. Editor: So, this painting speaks to institutional critique and production values while communicating themes of struggle? Quite complex. Curator: Precisely. "Insecurities" offers an unflinching perspective on systemic pressures and individual battles with identity. Editor: Definitely something to consider for viewers, thinking about materials and socio-political concerns together, as they move through the show.