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Grant Recipient

Jason McDonald

Windgate-Lamar Fellowship

2021

My work takes two paths. Within my first path I craft objects that examine, through a racial and economic lens, the inequalities that exist between Black and White people in America today. I cast my gaze on the disparities in the U.S. from life expectancy, to the achievement gap, to the too frequent election of racist officials. I seek to spark a dialogue between the viewer and the viewer's relationship with the ugly reality of a nation built on the backs of, while simultaneously demonizing, me and my ancestors. I find power by expressing myself this way, an attempt to understand my lived experience as a person of African descent. By making this work I hope to shed light, for myself and my viewers, on what it means to be a Black person in America today. A product of 400 years of racist ideology. 

Within my second path I explore the material of glass itself. My work begins as a study of the properties of glass and the craft techniques employed to shape it. I work iteratively, often focusing on a single technique for weeks at a time. More than technical pursuits alone, I might become fascinated with the optical quality of glass, the weight of the material, or some other aspect. The limitless nature of the material is fertile ground for exploration. Currently I’m exploring ways to interweave these two trajectories. To bring together the important stories I want to tell about social inequality while simultaneously displaying my commitment to craft with intentionally made objects.


Bio of the Artist

Organization Background

Location

Oakland, CA

EDUCATION

California College of the Arts

SPECIALIZATION

Glass

Institution

Grant amount

$15,000

Also awarded

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Selected works

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