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Jacoub Reyes – “Point of Reference” | Solo Exhibition at Ma’s House
December 12, 2021 @ 8:00 am - January 12, 2022 @ 5:00 pm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Jeremy Dennis – Lead of Ma’s House
631-566-0486
Jeremynative@gmail.com
Ma’s House & BIPOC Art Studio, 159 Old Point Road (follow yellow signs), Southampton, NY 11968
Ma’s House is pleased to present a solo exhibition of new works by December resident artist Jacoub Reyes. “Point of Reference” will run from December 12-January 12th, 2022, at “Ma’s House.” This exhibition will feature works inspired by found objects throughout Shinnecock Nation. In addition, a large mural installation will be unveiled at the opening reception on Sunday, December 12th, from 5-7 pm. Visitors are encouraged to meet the artist, Jacoub Reyes, now through December 15th, with visits by appointment only.
Jacoub Reyes is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Florida. He finds and makes materials and tools as part of an experimental aspect of his process. Reyes salvages and transforms found wood to reflect how marginalized and oppressed communities have been cast aside throughout history. With these, he carves detailed large-scale allegorical woodcuts based on the acculturation of the Caribbean and the world at large. Reyes’ focus on colonization and indigenous peoples has led him to unpack his personal history and share a message he hopes prevents historic recurrences.
“Every conversation of oppression, the intersection of religion and activism, how politics have corrupted and yet propelled countries forward in development are all conversations that have echoed throughout time as culture has shifted, albeit sometimes like a pendulum,” says Reyes, December resident artist.
The Shinnecock Kelp Farmers are self-described as a collection of six multi-generational indigenous women addressing the climate crisis by opening a kelp hatchery. Shinnecock Nation faces many challenges from colonization and Western ideologies, including climate change. The kelp is essential in combating the erosion of shorelines, which if not stopped, will reduce the Nation’s territory by 75% due to nitrogen sequestration. The realized human and natural symbiotic relationship moved Reyes to create the following works.
“Point of Reference” features woodblock prints on paper alongside photographs of natural elements found throughout the reservation, as well as a mural installation. “Preservation of the native and the indigenous are essential to understanding our ancestral past and our perceived future. The resilience the Shinnecock Nation has displayed to thrive under the pressing colonization, and the effects thereof is a testament that BIPOC individuals must take action or we will all soon erode back into the sea,” states Reyes. The mural installation is a tribute to the six women of Shinnecock Kelp Farmers. Here, the flowing and living kelp comes together to represent a spirit’s profile.
“With nature as the only tangible thing to grasp, it’s our only point of reference. The earth holds all of our fates, but the spirit survives long past our bodies’ expiration date. I dive into my Taino ancestry; I recognize the shared connection points. There is intentionality directed to honoring the natural and mysticism [spirituality] that surrounds us. Being here as a guest on this land had ripple effects I couldn’t have imagined. I feel kindred.”
Reyes shared that from his first walk around Ma’s House, there was an inherent need for the native organisms and life found to become anthropomorphic. As he studied and researched more through the library offered at the residency, the pull toward intertwining spirit and tangible organism came together. The deep understanding that Mother Earth provides all and the earth offers a bounty to cultivate is essential to the Shinnecock people. This connection shows through their reverence and caretaking of the land.
“I’ve been interested in creating my history. I find natural things useful, usable, and essential to ecosystems. I depict these plants as spirits that rise from the natural world and into the spiritual realm. With this, I allow myself to put a face to the plant. It’s a way for me to understand a bit more about the plant and its uses through interaction, research, and discovery.”
“Point of Reference” is on view at Ma’s House from December 12-January 12th, 2022.
Gallery hours are 11:00 am – 8 pm by appointment
For additional information or for an appointment with the artist, please contact Jeremy Dennis, 631.566.0486
