FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Springfield, MO. (September 8, 2023) – The Springfield Art Museum is pleased to present Jordan Eagles: ONE BLOOD, opening Saturday, September 23 at 10:00 AM. Jordan Eagles is a New York based artist who has been working with blood as an artistic medium for over 25 years, addressing themes of life-cycle, corporeality, and regeneration, and has developed techniques for preserving the organic material. His work has been exhibited at The Andy Warhol Museum, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the High Line, Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art, and Museum of the City of New York, among others.
Blood is frequently associated with violence and death, yet it is a critical life-force universal to all humanity. In an era of mass shootings, war, disease, and the urgent struggle over body autonomy and LGBTQI+ rights, blood is a symbolic connective tissue – often sensationalized – its visceral power is undeniable. Over the past decade, Eagles has built an expansive body of work focused on challenging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) blood donation policy, which advocates suggest is biased, perpetuates stigma and homophobia, and is not in line with modern science.
Eagles’ sculptures, panels, screen-prints, photographic and video works are collaborations created with blood donated by members of the LGBTQI+ community, specifically for the purpose of making artworks and advocating for science and equality. Eagles utilizes a broad range of techniques in his work and his preservation process retains the natural patterns, colors, and textures of the organic material. Most of the blood in this exhibition is preserved, including sculptures and panels made with medical waste and archival material.
According to Eagles, “At a time when the rights and dignity of the LGBTQI+ community continue to be under constant threat, these works challenge stigma and bias, and take a stand for equality. I’m grateful to the Springfield Art Museum for creating a space for visitors to consider these crucial issues and especially for queer visibility.”
The title of this solo exhibition, ONE BLOOD, references that despite the different backgrounds and serotypes of the blood donors, they are all united for blood equality. This exhibition features the work Blood Mirror, a large resin sculpture made with 59 individual human blood donations, that could have been used for life saving purposes if the FDA’s policy was more fair. For the first time, key works from several of the artist’s series that connect queer blood with American pop culture, comic books, military propaganda, and religious iconography are on view together. The exhibition also includes new works from Eagles’ latest series utilizing Artificial Intelligence.
This special exhibition is organized by Curator of Art Sarah Buhr and was developed in close collaboration with the artist over four years. The Museum’s permanent collection contains Eagles’ 2013 work Red Giant 10, made with animal blood and copper, which was the generous gift of Robert & Lillian Montalto Bohlen in 2018. Buhr notes, “Jordan’s work is incredibly unique, beautiful, and thoughtful. The themes and advocacy issues underscore the way that inequality affects us all. We are all one emergency away from being impacted by blood shortages.”
See Jordan Eagles: ONE BLOOD in our Weisel and Kelly Galleries from September 23, 2023 through February 18, 2024. The 2023 Exhibition Season is presented by Friends of the Springfield Art Museum, Inc. Lead Sponsorship of this exhibition is provided by Springfield Black Tie, Inc. The Springfield Art Museum is located at 1111 East Brookside Drive. Admission is always free. Donations are gratefully accepted.
Public Programs:
Slow Viewing with Shauna LeAnn Smith: Blood Mirror
Wednesday, September 27, 6:00 PM
Slow Viewing is a supportive practice for anyone who wants to develop their skills of interpretation, observation, and discussing art. Guests spend an hour carefully observing and speaking about the works on view, resulting in a deeper understanding of how they and others relate to the artwork and to each other. This program is facilitated by artist Shauna LeAnn Smith. This program is free, but space in-gallery is limited so registration is required.
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The Springfield Art Museum is Springfield, Missouri’s oldest cultural institution, founded in 1928. A department of the City of Springfield, the Museum invites you to connect with the world, your community, and yourself through active engagement with art objects. For more information, please visit www.sgfmuseum.org or contact Joshua Best, Museum Affairs Officer at (417) 874-2859 or jbest@springfieldmo.gov.
