For over a decade, artist Jess T. Dugan (b. 1986) has highlighted themes of intimacy, identity, and belonging in their multidisciplinary practice. Predominantly known for photographic portraits and still lifes, Dugan carefully captures the nuances of natural light on their subjects to subtly underscore their emotional states. Using slow and deliberate processes, Dugan’s work emphasizes the power of seeing and being seen.
This exhibition debuts a new body of work, which marks Dugan’s first foray into drawing. More than a year ago, Dugan began a daily practice of rendering flowers and plants in pencil as a meditative exercise. Each work is a study of nature’s quiet rhythms, reflecting the artist’s careful, sustained observation. The exhibition features a selection from this ongoing series that captures the subtle changes and fleeting beauty of plants as they bloom and wither. In these works— collectively titled I’m right here with you—Dugan encourages mindfulness, inviting us to reflect on the passage of time, impermanence, mortality, and love.
