Jaclyn Conley: a quiet protest

Danielle Radojcin travels to Brussels, Belgium to meet artist Jaclyn Conley, originally from Canada and currently based in Connecticut, USA. Jaclyn creates expansive works that create new worlds from seemingly disparate sources. Yet when these elements converge on her canvas, they establish entirely new relationships. Drawing inspiration from 16th-century art, religious iconography, and utopian photographs of 1970s commune life, Jaclyn redefines perceptions of time, place, and personal freedom. She deftly manipulates nonlinear time and intertwines themes of protest and politics.

Her physical artworks are characterised by their large scale, and thick, energetic strokes of oil paint. Soft, feminine colours evoke a quiet, introspective mood, inviting viewers to reflect. At the onset of an exhibition of her new paintings at the Maruani Mercier gallery in Brussels, this episode delves into Jaclyn's thematic inspirations, their contemporary relevance, her artistic journey, and how her work interwines with other aspects of her life.