The artwork of John Reno Jackson tends to explore the atmosphere of the times we are living in – the essence of the people and the things that inhabit it – by examining the role subjective perception plays in the formation of individual and communal identities.

He says, “In this way, my paintings extend an invitation to participate in this conversation around what it means to be a Caymanian in our contemporary era. I think it has become more important than ever to produce work that explores the theme of the body and its relationship to the self and to the wider society in which we live.

Abstract and Expressionist artists like Willem de Kooning and Max Pechstein, alongside fellow Caymanian artist Bendel Hydes, to me exemplify what it means to unpack the relationship between the body and the self. Like them, I seek to subjectively depict my subjects with a heightened and emotionally charged color palette to tap into the subconscious, rather than simply idealize the figure. My paintings further ask viewers to consider if the relative absence of discernible figuration indicates an obscuring of perception, or rather an enhancing of it through the dispensing of expectations about the appearance and meaning of images.”

Jackson’s brushwork, composition and colors are intended to showcase the hand of the artist and to emphasize painterly impact and passing impressions in place of exact representation. Through their use of metaphor and analytical alterations of perspective, these paintings seek to reveal authentic or hidden truths and bridge the gap between expression and contemplation—both his own and that of the audience.

John Reno Jackson is a very productive and talented Caymanian interdisciplinary artist who is currently pursuing a BFA at The Slade School of Fine Art, UCL. Previously, he attended foundational courses in painting and drawing at the Art Academy London (2015) and received mentorship from TURPS Correspondence Course (2020-2022)