It’s safe to say that we stumble on what we would consider great artists quite often. Talented and complex, with an ability to capture an expanse of emotion in their work. Yes Jaylen Pigford is that for sure, but he’s also a story teller. A young man coming into his own with so much to share. Documenting a story being lived, and the growth along the way. Showing us on his story on canvas. Honest and up front. It’s on display for your parousal. He is most definitely a rare individual amongst his peers. Though they all share the same urge to be appreciated, maybe even understood.
However Jaylen like alot of us feels misunderstood. Still, the kid with the heart and the cherry red vans has a story to tell. Born to stand out, he does it so eloquently with his paint brush. Faces have of course been changed to protect the innocent but the story he paints is largely autobiographical. Telling the tales of friendship, and heartbreak. Being honest in his own way, he shows you his thoughts. Yet when you see them, you are free to come to your own conclusions.
I think he gets it. For such a young man, he may just get what this whole creative thing is all about. Honest expression. Let the chips fall where they may, but be honest.
Skulls are often a symbol of mortality or death, but I don’t think that’s not Jaylen’s intentions. The depictions in his work are more homages than obituaries. He wants to more so immortalize his subjects and give them the freedom of anonymity. In that anonymity the audience gets to decide who those skulls represent to them. The faceless are given a face not by Jaylen but by his audience. For the audience, conversations can then be had and perspectives shared anonymously.
Fuck the glaring eyes and the judgements from our pasts that can hinder progress. Channel that shit into digestible works to be admired, even related to. I mean who can really understand unless you’ve lived it. Then again you may not even see it the way “I” did. So appreciate this piece of me that’s on this canvas. We talked alot about his intentions once he decides a painting is done, but mostly his goal to leave what the piece means to his audience. Like lyrics to a song. The words articulate a thought, but the audience deciphers it how they choose. That’s freedom. That’s expression. That’s what we think of the work of Jaylen Pigford.
¡Fresh Aesthetic!™ 