JAN KERN | ARTIST

“In her vision, what links Africa, Asia, Latin America and us is music for the eye.”

 – Mark Jenkins, Washington Post

“Collaged Paintings by Jan Kern”
The Corner Store, Washington DC
December 12, 2015 to January 9, 2016

◙ Mark Jenkins, “In The Galleries,” Washington Post, January 3, 2016

"The titles of Jan Kern’s 'Collaged Paintings' disclose not only her international influences but also her lack of interest in simply mirroring them. The D.C. artist’s Corner Store show references Mexico and Morocco, countries whose decorative styles are as bright as their sunlight. But a composition titled “Moorish Echoes in Bali” suggests what Kern does with the colors and motifs she spots on her journeys: rips, chops and reassembles them.

The artist’s earlier work compounded found objects, but now Kern combines scraps of her own paintings, executed with acrylic on canvas. She paints or cuts basic geometric shapes, sometimes complicating the pieces by punching through the fabric or drawing freehand patterns in the pigment before it dries. Squares and triangles alternate with such abstracted body parts as the palms and fingers of “Hands Dance With Zebra Stripes,” the most Matisse-like of the lot. Some of Kern’s assemblages are framed by black rectangles, but they’re all rhythmic and upbeat. In her vision, what links Africa, Asia, Latin America and us is music for the eye."

◙ Jim Magner, “Art and the City,”
Hill Rag, January 2016

"You still have time to see this excellent show. Jan Kern paints the symbols, ideas, and structures of life. Her collaged paintings vibrate with pure, geometrically aligned color contrasts and patterns, and connect with cultures around the world, both modern and ancient -- an expedition through time -- with a personal perspective and heartbeat."

◙ East City Art, December 9, 2016

“Kern’s collaged paintings are striking for their dramatic color interplay, strong design, and rich mix of global influences.  Kern’s work reflects how she has absorbed lessons from masters of modern color-focused abstraction, including the Washington Color School.”