Jadé Fadojutimi: Jesture

Jadé Fadojutimi: Jesture is a publication produced by Pippy Houldsworth Gallery to accompany the second solo exhibition at the gallery of new paintings by London-based artist Jadé Fadojutimi, presented in autumn 2020. Described by Fadojutimi as ‘environments’, these complex compositions, neither wholly abstract nor figurative, are built up with layers of oil paint, interrupted by the more linear mark-making made possible by her recent adoption of oil pastels. The introduction of new materials into her paintings has enabled Fadojutimi to think more broadly about palette, composition and depth, while translating the spontaneity of her drawing onto the canvas.

In her essay for the publication, ‘From Life – Thoughts on the paintings of Jadé Fadojutimi’, writer and editor-at-large of Frieze magazine Jennifer Higgie writes: ‘In these paintings, the world, in all of its chaotic glory, exists as an intimation. Art is not an explanation: it’s a shot of energy, a flash of colour; a shimmer, a reaction, a line thrown out to see who might pick it up. Pictures are made by people and, like people, their tone can switch direction in the blink of an eye.’

Co-published by Pippy Houldsworth Gallery and Anomie Publishing, London, this catalogue is the artist’s first published book, and was designed by A Practice for Everyday Life (first printed in 2021 and re- printed in 2022).