Soft Gray Tone with Reverberation #2, acoustic absorber panel and acrylic on canvas

Jennie C. Jones has created an artistic practice out of the act of listening. Combining abstraction, minimalism and jazz, the artist creates works in a variety of mediums that evoke actions and equipment related to music and audio.

Some of Jones’ most recent work takes the form of minimalist, monochromatic paintings that utilize soundproofing boards, on top of canvas, as substrate. The soundproofing boards are grey and have a similar look to raw linen, creating an interesting contrast between the slick, hard lines of paint colour and their own thickly woven fabric texture.  

Bass Traps with False Tones, refurbished acoustic bass absorber - wood, fiberglass, mineral wool filling, acrylic paint and fabric

In previous installations, Jones has used sound cables and other materials associated with audio recording. A 2012 series saw the artist using noise-cancelling instrument cables as wall assemblages, creating “clefs” from the bright yellow and black cable, for a double-layered reference to auditory experience. The use of music as a conceptual and physical basis for the works is reminiscent of Christian Marclay’s practice.

Feedback Loop - Neon Fragment #1, noise cancelling instrument cable, brass wire and felt