Fans of artist Marcus Jansen were treated to a sneak peek of his latest works last night, many of which are heading abroad for a solo museum tour—the first major museum survey of his works.
The tour will include exhibitions in Rome, Beijing and New York.
“As far as I’m concerned, it is the highlight of any artist’s career,” Jansen said of the opportunity to stage a museum show. “I’m honored and glad people are paying attention to the work.”
The tour, titled “Examine and Report,” begins in Rome later this year and will feature about 30 works in 10,000 square feet worth of gallery space. The Beijing exhibit will be somewhat smaller; details for New York are still in the works.
Jansen is busy in his Fort Myers workshop preparing additional pieces to go on tour. He says he’ll be sending a spectrum of works dating from 2008 until now to show the diversity of his portfolio.
The collection will include his evolving series The Faceless, which depicts men whose faces have morphed into colorful shapes, obscuring their identities. The latest additions include Founding Father, a suited man with the word “SOLD” etched over the space where his head should be; a figure in a military uniform; a convict in an orange jumpsuit next to which the declaration “I AM A MAN” is crossed out. The identification number, however, remains prominent.
Jansen says the series, which he began in 2011, investigates “anonymity, secrecy and the whole idea of power.”
“It is a faceless society, one that we as people don’t really know what is going on and who these figures are and who has the power,” he explains.
Southwest Florida residents typically are the first to see Jansen’s work; his workshop is adjacent to his Unit A exhibition space near downtown Fort Myers. This latest display will be up until May 10. The gallery is generally open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Art Walk nights (the next is May 1).
Unit A administrative director Amanda Plummer is preparing a decades catalog of Jansen’s work, which should be released soon. The catalog will run about 150 pages and will include Jansen’s favorite and best-known works.
To learn more about Jansen’s work or to contact the Unit A gallery, visit unitaspace.com.
