A Look into awë:ödö’
Earlier this month, K Art opened awë:ödö’, a solo exhibition highlighting G. Peter Jemison's floral work. The title refers to the plants on which the flowers are "hanging" or growing, as Jemison announces Spring's arrival with a colorful bouquet. In recent news, the Seneca artist achieved great notoriety, such as receiving the 2023 Johnson Fellowship for Artists Transforming Communities by the Americans for the Arts and entering the National Gallery of Art's permanent collection. As he turns to his practice full-time, we look back at some of his floral portraits from the 2000s – 2010s.
Known for drawing work from Orenda, the Seneca belief that every living thing contains a spirit, Jemison has often manifested this through winter landscapes. However, in this unseen body of work, he carries the belief despite the contrast in a warmer palette and snowy design. Bright whites, lemon yellows, and shades of veridian remind us of winter's end; life can begin anew.
"[Flowers] are fragile yet very resilient even if there's snow or cold weather," he states. "[Their] annual appearance gives me hope for renewal."
Jemison's signature vibrations are ever-present as his garden journeys through the cycle of life and death. Calla Lily (2005, watercolor on paper) and Birdhouse Blossoms (2005, watercolor on handmade paper) bask in the sunlight as waves ripple away. This motif is apparent in Sentinels, 2005 (National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.) and Dried Geometry, 2005 (AKG Art Museum, Buffalo). On the other hand, the electric red and pink brushstrokes in Amid the Rose Bush (2017, acrylic on canvas) continue Spring's celebration with high saturation, a newer development for the artist in recent years. Collectively, they demonstrate a natural power and, most importantly, joy.
Queen Annes Lace, 2010
Above all, what animates these drawings on paper is not their aesthetics or color – it is Jemison's warmth. Flowers and blossoms are delicate by nature and limited in time, but the Seneca artist reminds us that everything has a story. In awë:ödö’, the sweet aroma of lilies, roses, and snowballs becomes an everlasting symbol of growth, hope, and renewal, for, in this world, the Sun will always shine.