Oreo cookies, introduced in 1912, are now the number one selling cookie in the world. They are almost as ubiquitous in the paintings of Robert C. Jackson. Seldom alone, and always with their longtime companion, milk, they rise in gravity-defying towers, lure goldfish to one side of their bowl or balance precariously on a tightrope.
Sometimes, gravity wins. In Collapse, they have tumbled off their beverage crate tower—no longer A-Treat. By the time Jackson finishes a painting, the cookies have become stale and, often, they have been glue gunned together and even varnished. “Rarely do I eat them,” he admits.
Pizza Feast, oil on linen, 34 x 84"
Collapse will be in the exhibition The Pursuit of Happiness at Gallery Henoch in New York from October 7 through 30.
Jackson began his professional career as an electrical engineer, segued into the role of assistant pastor and, in 1996, dedicated his life to painting. The precision of the engineer and the gentle insights of the pastor stayed with him in his new career.
Collapse, oil on linen, 40 x 30"
On the subject of The Pursuit of Happiness, he comments, “On the most basic level, I’ve always found it a wonderful challenge to try to inject humor and happiness into my work without being trite or banal. The last thing I’d want is to be punny. I want the work to be able to have legs, something one can live with for a long time. But getting to the actual title. The Pursuit of Happiness, of course, is in our Declaration of Independence—Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Sometimes, these days it seems that people are more comfortable with the Pursuit of Anger. Especially after COVID (or during COVID) isn’t it time for some grace, joy, levity...and happiness?”
Temporary Housing, oil on linen, 40 x 30"
Painting in the natural light of his Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, studio, he incorporates animating shadows into his compositions. “My paintings are always narrative,” he says, “and I find that viewers always imagine some movement that isn’t even there—the shadows can contribute to that.”
Confusion, oil on linen, 30 x 40"
When asked why his balloon dogs don’t eat their pizza crusts as in Pizza Feast, he admits, “I don’t like pizza crusts (unless I have some olive oil, salt and rosemary to dip them in). Of course, it goes further than that—they are wonderful compositional elements to scatter on the floor. I love to make the viewer’s eyes dance, dart and scamper around my paintings.” —
Gallery Henoch
555 W. 25th Street • New York, NY 10001
(917) 305-0003 • www.galleryhenoch.com
Powered by Froala Editor
