Listening Session and Closing Reception: this must be the place to be
with rod jones ii
Saturday, January 7th
3:00 – 6:00pm
RSVP here
For more info on the exhibition and images from related events see here.
Join us in the gallery on Saturday, January 7th from 3–6 pm for a listening session and closing reception with Philadelphia-based artist rod jones ii as part of his first solo exhibition, this must be the place to be. Guests are invited to experience a series of curated playlists and to interact with jones’s soft sculpture “homies” as part of these intimate sessions.
In this must be the place to be, his first ever solo exhibition, jones uses common household materials and beauty supplies such as resourced fabric, synthetic hair, glass and acrylic beads, and dental floss. The homies–and the world that they inhabit–are materially recognizable, and yet, their forms and personhood are impossible to characterize.
Didier William, the exhibition mentor, observes that upon entering the space “a strange sort of envy creeps in, as our soles are subject to the bare wood floor while we witness the homies carefully cradled against the wall and nestled atop this delicately braided carpet. Time is intentionally slowed to a crawl and the soft figures are given a comforting mediator between their bodies and the bare ground…The walls embrace their would-be performers and attempt to shield them from the voracious appetite of our gaze."
For these listening sessions, guests are invited to embrace the space of the homies as one of rest, tenderness, and connectivity.
This event is free and open to all. RSVPs are encouraged but not required. RSVP below. The artist will be present for both sessions. Please note that this session (January 7th) coincides with the last day of the exhibition, and will also consist of a closing reception for the exhibition.
About the Artist
rod jones ii (b. 1994) is a multidisciplinary artist from Gary, Indiana living and working in Philadelphia, PA. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Printmaking from Truman State University, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Art from the Pennsylvania Academy. He has shown work at InLiquid Gallery (Philadelphia, PA), Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (Philadelphia, PA), Woodmere Museum of Art (Philadelphia, PA), Truman State University (Kirksville, MO), Tiger Strikes Asteroid (Philadelphia, PA) and Anna Zorina Gallery (New York, NY). His work has also been collected by The Woodmere Museum of Art. He is currently an adjunct professor of Printmaking and Drawing at the University of Pennsylvania and Moore College of Art, and has lectured at Tyler School of Art at Temple University, Pace University, William Paterson University, and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
Images: this must be the place to be. Presented by CUE Art Foundation, 2022. Photos by David Michael Cortes.
Donate To CUE
CUE Art Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Your contribution supports CUE's mission, providing emerging and under-recognized artists and art workers with new opportunities and the ability to present varied perspectives in the arts. Through our gallery space and public programs, we foster the development of thought-provoking exhibitions and events, create avenues for mentorship, cultivate relationships amongst peers and the public, and facilitate the exchange of ideas.
Health and Safety Protocols
We ask that guests wear masks or face coverings whenever possible. If you think you have a fever, have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days, or have had close contact with anyone who is confirmed or suspected of having COVID-19, please stay home.
Access Notes
CUE Art Foundation is wheelchair accessible. There is an all-gender, ADA compliant, single-stall bathroom in the gallery. The closest wheelchair-accessible MTA subway stations are Penn Station and Herald Square. If you have additional access questions or needs, please contact info@cueartfoundation.org and we will do our best to accommodate you.