JAK is a multifaceted American artist with disciplines in painting, illustration, photography, sculpture, and furniture. Each studio practice is used as a means of world-building and storytelling. His paintings are characterized by simplified shapes and harsh compositions, ‘maximally minimal,’ with only essential elements present. Crude symbols are challenged and personally reimagined to depict the aftermath of personal tragedy, infused with woe and fury. JAK has exhibited paintings in New York City, Berlin, Los Angeles, and Toronto, and has also collaborated with major recording artists, designed interior spaces and runways, and directed many multimedia projects. One of the most prevalent motifs in his work is the black cat. After a period of intense loss, this symbol, normally associated with bad luck or witchcraft, was repurposed as an obelisk of remembrance. With large omniscient eyes, they serve as an almost angelic reminder of loved ones past, illustrating that a symbol is only as powerful as it is allowed to be.
