the artistry
Reimaginations - for the folks at home. Every piece is a statement piece.
artist statement
Jewel’s artistry explores reclamations of Black time, space, histories, and futures - existing as an ever-evolving pursuit of embodiment.
Heavily influenced by the unapologetic wit and innovation inherent to the Black femme interior, she likens the studio to the kitchen - manipulating wordplay, sensuality, and symbolism to aestheticize an intimate view of inner turmoil; allowing the artwork to assume an attitude of its own.
Drawing inspiration from community, collective memory, personal history, and popular culture alike, depicted scenes undress emotional realities often coexisting within varied facets of Black life. As these sentiments hinge upon casual existence, chaotic imagery is often juxtaposed against backdrops of commonplace.
the artist
Jewel Ham is a multidisciplinary visual artist, curator, and educator interested in using her practice as a means of resistance. With attention to the unapologetic wit and innovation inherent to the Black interior, she approaches narrative portraiture as an act of resistance.
She is a Summa Cum Laude Fine Arts graduate from Howard University, with interest in reimagining liberation, particularly through lenses of wellness and embodiment. As a Taurus, her creative process is largely influenced by her interests in aesthetics, pleasure, and sensuality.
Jewel has had four solo exhibitions to date, all taking place in historical spaces within the Black community. Her 2022 solo exhibit “i said what i said” was held at Stony Island Arts Bank, an archival library and museum reimagined by Theaster Gates; while her following solo “keep it cute” was the inaugural exhibition at Cierra Britton Gallery, the first all womxn of color gallery in New York City. Prior, she conquered both her hometown and home to her Alma Mater; exhibiting individually at Charlotte’s Harvey B. Gantt Center, and later the DMV’s Eubie Blake Cultural Center - in a curatorial venture by Derrick Adams.
Jewel’s work has formally appeared in a variety of group shows, publications, and pop culture partnerships worldwide - including the likes of Art Basel, Jeffrey Deitch, Kavi Gupta, Essence, New American Paintings, Nike, New Balance, Donna Karan, and more. She continues to cultivate her creative practice in harmony with her community and personal alchemy.
selected press
Hyperallergic - An Artist’s Palette Reflects Community
Essence - 7 Contemporary Black Women Artists to Watch
Refinery29 - Sp*tify Wrapped - Full Story
South Side Weekly - “i said what i said” Q&A
GUAP MAG - Radiant Chaotic Good of Jewel
Soho House - Strokes of Genius
Soho House - What You Missed at EXPO Chicago
cv
Education
Howard University, BFA. 2020 - Summa Cum Laude
Corcoran School of Fine Art, 2018
Slade School of Fine Art, 2019
Pratt Institute, 2021
Residencies
2024 The Fores Project - Kentish Town, London
Exhibitions
2024
2023
Group Exhibition - A Friend Named Cousin by JoeFreshGoods - Paris, France
Group Exhibition - Metropolitan Museum of Art Staff Exhibit -
Group Exhibition - SpringHill Presents “NEXT IN” - Miami, Florida
Juried Exhibition - Coined in the South; The Mint Museum - Charlotte, NC
Group Exhibition - “NIKE: Sole Perspectives”; Curated by Easy Otabor, Miami, FL
Group Exhibition - “IN MY BAG”; Cierra Britton Gallery, Dumbo, NY
Group Exhibition - Uptown Triennial; Wallach Art Gallery @ Columbia University, Manhattan,NY
Group Exhibition - “Pass the J”; Bricks & Wood, South Central, LA
Group Exhibition - “GUMBO”; Anthony Gallery, Chicago, IL
2022
Solo Exhibition - “i said what i said”; Stony Island Arts Bank - Anthony Gallery, Chicago, IL
Solo Exhibition - “keep it cute”; Cierra Britton Gallery, Manhattan, NY
Art Fair - Art Basel - “GODDESSES”; Jeffrey Deitch, Booth J9
Art Fair - 1-54 Contemporary Art Fair - Cierra Britton Gallery, NY
Group Exhibition - “Skin + Masks” by Vic Mensa; Kavi Gupta, Chicago, IL
Group Exhibition - “MY PEOPLE.”; NYC Culture Club - World Trade Center. Manhattan, NY
Group Exhibition - South Arts State Fellowship Exhibition (Traveling); Harvey B. Gantt Center, Charlotte, NC
Group Exhibition - “To Each Her Own”; Urban Zen by Donna Karan x ArtLeadHer; Manhattan, NY
2021
Group Exhibition - “Shattered Glass 2”; Jeffrey Deitch - Moore Building, Miami, FL
Group Exhibition - “Growing Pains”; Anthony Gallery, Chicago, IL
Group Exhibition - “About Now, #1”; Galerie Cecile Fakhoury, Dakar, Senegal
Group Exhibition - South Arts State Fellowship Exhibition; Bo Bartlett Center, Columbus, GA
Group Exhibition - “Sex With Me”; The Bogart, Brooklyn, NY
Group Exhibition - “Sapphic Summer”; Brian Leo Projects, Manhattan, NY
Group Exhibition - “Wrist Game”; Virtual Exhibition
Group Exhibition - “We Built This House”; The Anderson, Richmond, VA
Juried Exhibition - “Black Creativity”; Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, IL
2020
Solo Exhibition - “Seduction of Self-Destruction”; Eubie Blake Center, Baltimore, MD
Group Exhibition - “BLACK VOICES - BLACK MICROCOSM”; Stockholm, Sweden
Group Exhibition - “From Vixen to Venus”; blknbrnz, Virtual Exhibition
Group Exhibition - “Alternate ROOTS”; Virtual Exhibition
Juried Exhibition - Howard University Student Showcase
Juried Exhibition - “Black Creativity”; Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, IL
2019
Group Exhibition - “Peepshow”; The Fearless Artist Gallery, Miami, FL
Juried Exhibition - “Black Creativity”; Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, IL
Group Exhibition - “Artist Response to Under Construction”; The Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC
Group Exhibition - “AfroHouse”; Manhattan, NY
2018
Solo Exhibition - “The #jewelsart Experience”; Harvey B. Gantt Center, Charlotte, NC
Group Exhibition - 17 Frost Gallery, New York, NY
Solo Exhibition - Diet Starts Monday, Washington, DC
Group Exhibition - “I Am Healing”; Brooklyn, NY
Juried Exhibition - Howard University Student Showcase
2017
Group Exhibition - Howard University Student Showcase
Curatorial
2023
“IN MY BAG” - Cierra Britton Gallery, Brooklyn, NY; Co-curated by Jewel Ham
“Pass the J” - Bricks & Wood, Los Angeles, CA; Independent Curation by Jewel Ham
2021
Wrist Game. A collaborative digital experience, Independent Curation by Jewel Ham
Commissions
2020
Keith YMCA Black Lives Matter Mural - Keith YMCA; Charlotte, NC
2019
Stephen Curry Renovation Project Mural - Carole Hoefner Center; Charlotte, NC
Publications
2022
New American Paintings - No. 154, South Issue
“The Fire Inside”, Collected Stories and Poems from Zora’s Den - Cover Artwork
Oxford American - Issue 118, Fall 2022
2021
“New American Paintings” - No. 154, South Issue
2020
Aguanile Inaugural Zine - MOCADA Museum
2018
“Henry Goes to an HBCU” - Illustrated Children’s Book
Awards
2021
2021 South Arts State Fellowship - North Carolina
2020
Howard University Annual Student Showcase First Place Award
2017
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Visual Arts Scholar; artwork became marketing collateral for the 2018 CBCF - Annual Legislative Conference
2015
Scholastic Gold Key Recipient