Ronald Jackson Stages“An American Fiction” Exhibition In Baltimore

(MENAFN- USA Art News) Artist Ronald Jackson presents“An American Fiction,” a solo exhibition opening this week at Galerie Myrtis in Baltimore. Known for his vivid portraiture, Jackson's new suite of oil paintings creates a casting list for an imagined screenplay, sharing the exhibition's title. The works playfully envision a troupe of characters, complete with their names and roles.

One example is a portrait of a Black man with dreadlocks and a red handkerchief titled“Pervis Brown: The Apprentice of Oddly Uncommon Trades, played by Cornelius Dunston in AN AMERICAN FICTION” ( 2026 ), an oil on canvas measuring 60 × 48 inches. Other pieces in this series include“Bradley 'Ernesto' Hillman with daughter Arlo: The Orchestrators of Unusual Happenings, played by Samuel Lead and Erica Dewberry in AN AMERICAN FICTION” ( 2026 ), oil on canvas, 72 × 60 inches;“Joy 'Louise' Parker: The Young Widow Who Returned Home, played by Regina Rhodes in AN AMERICAN FICTION” ( 2026 ), oil on canvas, 60 × 48 inches;“Sanford Billings: Shop Owner and Private Investigator, played by Malik Downs in AN AMERICAN FICTION” ( 2026 ), oil on canvas, 52 × 46 inches;“Greyman Dutch: Physician and Collector of Storied Relics, played by Dwight Jamesberry in AN AMERICAN FICTION” ( 2026 ), oil on canvas, 66 × 55 inches;“Barrett Dunnings: Jonesridge Cowboy and hired hand, played by Javon Campbell in AN AMERICAN FICTION” ( 2026 ), oil on canvas, 52 × 46 inches; and“Abraham Jenkins: Rancher and town librarian, played by Dwight Jamesberry in AN AMERICAN FICTION” ( 2026 ), oil on canvas, 52 × 46 inches.

All works are named in a similar fashion, guiding the viewer's interpretation of the fictional screenplay. The artist's cross-disciplinary method is a familiar aspect of his practice. In a previous body of work, Jackson introduced Johnnie Mae King, a recurring character for whom he invited the public to develop backstories through flash fiction and other writings. This figure, like many in“An American Fiction,” features Jackson's distinctive mask motif.

The artist commented on his use of the mask, stating:“I use the mask not to conceal but to signal that a rich, un-excavated narrative exists beneath the surface. It asks the viewer to consider what lies beyond the visible role, prompting a question central to performance: are we admiring the superficial? Do we distinguish between the performer and the character being played? Do we recognize that there is likely a very different reality than the one being presented to us?”

The exhibition runs from September 5 to October 3. The title of the exhibition and many of its themes echo the Oscar-winning film American Fiction, directed by Cord Jefferson and adapted from Percival Everett's novel Erasure, which explores stereotypes and the performance of identity.

Source: This Is Colossal

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