An Interview With Jordan Sears
Jordan Sears's oil paintings explore the delicate interplay between memory, image, and the tangible quality of paint. She manipulates color and texture to fragment familiar imagery, prompting viewers to question the stability of perception. By employing techniques that obscure and soften edges, Sears creates a sense of distance, inviting a contemplative engagement with her work. Her paintings delve into the space between visibility and obscurity, encouraging us to reconsider the fleeting nature of memory and the often-elusive truth behind what we see.
Can you tell us a little bit about you?
I'm a painter currently based in Oklahoma, and my work explores the intersection of image, memory, and materiality. I specifically work with found images and I often disrupt them through abstraction; whether that's through color, texture, or composition. Lately my work is largely focused on the area between abstraction and representation, and has shaped how I approach painting overall. For me, painting isn't simply a representational tool, but it's a way to challenge how we perceive and engage with images today.
You mention using found imagery. Can you describe your process for finding these images? What sources do you draw from, and what catches your eye?
They come from everywhere. Sometimes it's very intentional and I'll spend all day sourcing imagery from online, from films, or from magazines or pamphlets. Other times, I will run across something in real life that catches my eye and I have to snap a picture. It's not uncommon for me to spend weeks or months on one singular image - fixated on how I can transform it, or if it needs to be transformed at all. Sometimes just painting it is transforming it. Mostly, I'm drawn to images that have a cinematic quality and translate well to the formal qualities of painting - like light, composition, etc. There are several themes within that which I explore regularly, such as nostalgia, femininity, and anticipation.
You explore the relationship between society and visual culture. What are some of the specific societal issues you're most interested in examining through your art?
I think one of the most prominent societal issues I explore is femininity. I'm interested in the nuances of girlhood - the search for the perfect prom dress, the experience of being a bridesmaid, and even everyday objects like makeup, wigs, and bras. These seemingly small objects embody the larger, pervasive pressure to maintain youth and beauty. It's both sad and ridiculous, yet undeniably a part of the feminine experience. Another issue is the concept of 'slow looking.' As a painter, I spend majority of my time noticing very subtle shifts, and this attention to detail is one of the most interesting aspects of my studio and life. I hope to encourage others to develop their own relationship to slow, and thoughtful, looking.
How do you balance the "provocative" element of your work with the "self-conscious" aspect?
I think those two things can be trusted together. Especially as a woman, we often find ourselves performing - internally, we may be very self-conscious, but externally, we appear confident and inviting. A lot of my work is about identifying the nuance between the two. A couple of paintings comes to mind: Glimmers of Stardom and A Smile, A Sigh. They highlight a subtle anxiety, or a worry, behind the performative veil we often feel we have to put on. Sometimes, though, it's about fully committing. My paintings often have conversations with each other, with one piece building off the tone of the previous. At times, the conversation ends, and a new one begins, which can shift the tone dramatically.
How do you choose your color palettes? Do they have a specific significance, or are they more intuitive? How does color play a role in creating the tension you describe?
I could talk about color for a long time. The color sets the entrance into a space, and it's ultimately about what kind of entrance I want the viewer to have. I recently went to a roller skating rink for my nieces birthday. It was brightly lit with standard, fluorescent lighting, but I was told that in the evening, it's only 21 and up. Immediately, I imagined the whole place drowned in dark blue lighting with a faint, colored disco ball - transforming it into a completely different atmosphere. This shift in color and lighting changes the space, and I approach my work exactly the same way when I'm working with an image and challenging perception. Color can fundamentally change how we engage with a subject or space. It can evoke different emotions, conjure a memory, or alter our sense of time. Whether it's vibrant or subtle, color plays a pivotal role in creating the tension I want to create - whether that's a feeling of dissonance, irony, or simply a deeper connection to the subject matter.
Do you hope your work inspires a more critical engagement with the visual culture that surrounds us? What kind of impact do you envision it having on viewers' perceptions of images?
I think a lot about media, advertisements, and their influence. I often think of those awful 19th and early 20th-century advertisements that used caricatures and distorted representations of Black people to portray them as subhuman or monstrous. Those images were so widely circulated in mainstream media, and reinforced a harmful stereotype that has largely contributed to views of Black people today - stereotypes we're still working to dismantle. This type of media is still around, but in a much more subtle and insidious way. If you’re not aware of it, you’ll miss it entirely. Images are incredibly powerful that way, and they can be dangerous. I think about this in relation to the found imagery I've used in my practice (whether directly or not), especially imagery that highlights celebrity culture or certain standards for women and society as a whole. When I'm working with these kinds of images, I often think of Andy Warhol. For him, it wasn't simply about his love for Campbell’s soup, or celebrities - it was about holding a mirror up to the world. I try to approach images in a similar way: not by encouraging their implications, but by challenging them and making you notice them. That’s the power of painting - it speaks a different language. Sometimes, though, it could mean that I’m more interested in focusing on details that are often overlooked, like the buttons on a blouse or the back of someone's head. Ultimately, I hope it inspires viewers to reflect more deeply on the images that shape our perceptions.
Are there any artists or movements that have particularly influenced your work?
Well, obviously Warhol! But I'm really interested in the Post-Impressionism period and its connection to the Industrial Revolution. It's interesting to see what happens culturally when we suddenly have more access to resources - and how that really sets the tone for today. What happens when we have too much access? As for other artists, I'm influenced by people like Louise Giovanelli, Henni Alftan, Domenico Gnoli, Ambera Wellman, Cindy Sherman, and Rothko.
What's the most rewarding aspect of being an artist?
When somebody sees the thing you wanted them to.
What is your favourite book or film and why?
One book I keep coming back to is The Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson. It regularly comes to mind because the language is so beautiful, yet simple. Her use of adjectives are how I like to think about painting. It's not so much about the subject, but how you describe the subject. As for films, I recently watch What a Way to Go, directed by J. Lee Thompson, and it’s just stunning. I love the wardrobe, the way text is used, the framing, and the full circle ending. Another movie that has stuck with me is Paris, Texas, directed by Wim Wenders. Honestly, everything I've had to say about color is in that film.
Are you working on any projects you are particularly excited about?
Yes! I'm currently working with Painters Painting Paintings and ALLGORITHIM galleries. I'm so excited about the opportunities and the new works to come.