S2, EP.9: Julian Jamaal Jones
Julian Jamaal Jones | Photo credit: Erin McConnell (IG:@erinimages)
On episode 9, we sit down with artist Julian Jamaal Jones who discusses his artistic journey, how he is reimagining quilt-making, and expanding his art practice.
Julian Jamaal Jones is a multidisciplinary artist and educator born and raised in Indianapolis, IN. Jones received his Bachelor's degree in Photography in 2020 from the Herron School of Art + Design (Indianapolis, IN) and a Master’s in Photography in 2022 from Cranbrook Academy of Art (Bloomfield Hills, MI), under the tutelage of Chris Fraser. Julian was selected to participate in the Black Mountain Active Archive Residency in 2024, the recipient of the CICF Artist Travel Ambassador Grant in 2023, awarded ArtsConnect’s “Artist to Watch” in 2022, the recipient of the 2022 Playground Emerging Artist Fellowship, supported by the Knight Foundation and the recipient of the prestigious Museum Purchase Award from Cranbrook Art Museum in 2022. Forthcoming art exhibitions include Common Threads, a group exhibition at Blue Spiral 1 Gallery (2024), “AMEN,” a solo exhibition at the Eric Dean Gallery at Wabash College (2025), and Will Be King, a solo exhibition at the Pacific Northwest Quilt & Fiber Arts Museum (2025). Jones’s works are in the permanent textile collections of Cranbrook Art Museum (Bloomfield Hills, MI), Richmond Art Museum (Richmond, IN) and The Book Tower Detroit (Detroit, MI).
Jones memorializes Black culture by presenting fresh perspectives while presenting creative freedom within traditional landscapes. His unique practice communicates through the historical language of African American quilting tradition by implementing abstract forms and vibrant colors in his works to bypass the preconceptions and open conversations around his Black experience.
Photo credit: PD Rearick
Read more about his Atelier Unraveled: In Studio feature.
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Bio and images courtesy of Julian Jamaal Jones.
