621 Gallery Presents:
An interview with Jordan Vinyard
“I have often described my existence as a “B-rated” version of American Hustle. I believe in bravery and a willingness to do whatever it takes to see an idea through.” – Jordan Vinyard
Originally from Oklahoma, Jordan Vinyard attended graduate school locally at Florida State University. Currently, she is an Associate Professor of Art at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. Vinyard teaches expanded media and organizes a space called Art Wrecker, which is predicated on experimental and dialogical practices.
Vinyard has exhibited both nationally and internationally. Reaching Tennessee, Colorado, North Carolina, Arizona, Dubai, Italy, Oklahoma, Texas, and a number of other places, Vinyard has shown hybrid media art, dealing with the alchemizing effects of technology on humanity.
She is inspired by “biology, German performance, Russian literature, spaghetti westerns, and the mad science of making”. Vinyard further explains that she is broadly drawn to science fiction and “its ability to allow people to express their anxieties about the world in a safe way.” In terms of artistic influences, she is inspired by John Bock, Lea Bontecou, Berlinde de Bruyckere, Naomi Umam, and Bjorn Melhus. Specifically, for example, John Bock is a mixed media artist, and Naomi Umam is known for her experimental artistic practices, both in which Vinyard relates to.
Within this exhibition at 621, she hopes to remind people to be more present in the moment. She believes that “we are inundated with the schizophrenia of technology, so I hope they seek pause.” Further, she hopes to encourage viewers to consider the political and institutional motivations behind these technologies. She makes these statements with the belief that artists are the gatekeepers of propaganda in that “they have the ability to continually perform cultural autopsy and expose the guts of a society.”
Vinyard believes in developing her career one step at a time; she considers the threads that have risen from one piece and allows them to lead her to the next. When asked if there is anything she would want to tell her younger self, she states that she wouldn’t change anything because “the missteps are half of what made me who I am today.” Further navigating the art world, she prioritizes being genuine. “Sincerity speaks to people, and people respond to things that are beautifully gritty about existence. Being brave, being honest, being genuine is the trifold code for my navigation of art”.
For more information, visit their website:
https://www.jordanvinyard.com
