"Lab Grant Resident Samuel Levi Jones Opens Solo Exhibition at Galerie Lelong & Co."

Dieu Donné Lab Grant Resident Samuel Levi Jones’ latest exhibition at Galerie Lelong & Co., Conscious Intuition, explores the value of demolition and the innovative possibilities it presents through the art of paper-making.

Samuel Levi Jones, The Library of Alexandria, 2023
Pulped and cast encyclopedia pages, metal shelves, rug
Two bookshelves, each: 83 ⅛ x 109 ½ x 24 ½ in (211.1 x 278.1 x 62.2 cm)
Books, each approximately: 9 x 11 x 2 in (22.9 x 27.9 x 5.1 cm)
Image courtesy of Galerie Lelong & Co.

Jones is known for challenging social structures and historical representation in his work by repurposing materials typically associated with authority, power, and information. His exhibition features works of art formed from pulped encyclopedias, law books, history textbooks, and US flags, calling into question what value these objects hold once they have been unraveled and rearranged.

Jones was able to accomplish this transformation by repurposing traditional paper-making itself, dissolving his raw materials into pulp which is then used to craft his artistic visions. He presents a unique approach to the paper-making process that focuses on the act of deconstruction as much as it focuses on the art of creation. The final results range from colorful pulp-based paintings to slabs of molten paper that dominate the space, their former selves occasionally eking out in the form of fragmented images, scrambled text, and recognizable elements.

Jones’ sculptural installation, The Library of Alexandria (2023), was created in collaboration with master papermakers at Dieu Donné, in addition to numerous other pieces throughout the exhibit.

Master Collaborator Tatiana Ginsberg and Samuel Levi Jones in Dieu Donné Studio

Conscious Intuition is on view from May 11 – June 17, 2023 at Galerie Lelong & Co.