Jae Jarrell USA, b. 1935

Created in 2017, this sculptural assemblage highlights an important era in Jae Jarrell's evolving career. At first glance the work seems simple enough— a jacket apparently hanging on a wooden stand. Yet the piece more accurately extends into the realm of symbology, remarking on how the past and present are merging in a dramatic show where appearances are mostly what matter. The suede garment is a perfect expression of Jarrell's history as a garment artist, and the wooden support is an artful, yet minimal expression of her current interests in woodworking and sculpture. On the lapel of the garment is a bird of paradise—the ultimate symbol of showiness and elegance. The crown symbol elevates the work to the heights of reverence, while the bird looks down, conveying the somber tone of an ode to the past. The work encompasses many feelings of our tendency to simultaneously respect, and feel burdened by, history.