Jacob Jari - Artist’s Statement
"I am interested in making visible the positive side of things that are considered abhorring to behold; in elevating rejects to prominence. Such things may be in tangible form or may be in ideas. My work therefore relies on improvisation. The materials I use should first be rejected. They could be cornstalk abandoned in the farm after harvest or off-cut pieces of fabric abandoned by tailors. They could also be an endeavour that was once engaging but no more. My work seeks to address the belief that seeking the positive brings the best out of life. The process of working that symbolizes this belief for me is exemplified in my work with cornstalk or fabric. I first deface the surface of my support. I then reclaim the surface by sticking the materials once rejected (cornstalk or fabric) to create designs."