“Past, Present and Future: Rivers, Threads, Pockets and Bubbles” is a concept store opening at The Corner Gallery in celebration of Jacksonville’s bicentennial. This is the latest Moving the Margins: Artist-in-Residence project, and the store will feature photography, graphic design, drawings, and paintings by artists Dustin Harewood, Malcolm Jackson, Toni Smailagic, and Jordan Walter. While three of the four artists were born and raised in different communities of Jacksonville, each is seeking to sell their unique perspective on what the city was, is, and can be. The overall concept highlights Jacksonville as a collection of communities, cultures, places, and spaces. Contemporary creations, from remixes of historic Jacksonville photography to streetwear apparel, pay homage to local businesses and institutions, while contemporary portraits of figures from different eras feed directly into the exhibition name,”Past, Present and Future.”
Dustin Harewood grew up in New York City and Barbados, later returning to the United States and receiving his BA from North Carolina Central University and MFA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Harewood has twice been recognized with a Distinguished Faculty Award from Florida State College at Jacksonville and was named Arts Educator of the Year by the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville in 2017. In his work, Harewood work is reflective of three locations—Jacksonville Florida; Christ Church, Barbados; and Aomori Japan—and draws inspiration from his familial lineage and the immediacy of today’s culture.
Malcolm Jackson is an artist, street photographer, and Jacksonville native. Inspired by photographers such as Gordon Parks, Robert Frank, and Roy Decarva, Jackson uses a camera to speak for him and to act as a bridge to connect the viewer to the realities of life for the common person in the 21st century. In documenting his hometown of Jacksonville, Jackson uses street photography to focus on race, class, identity, and community. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, GQ Magazine, Bloomberg, People Magazine, and various international publications. He was named artist of the year in 2018 by the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville.
Born in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Toni Smailagic was raised in Jacksonville. After a brief residency in Paris, Smailagic moved between New York City, Los Angeles, and Miami for a seven-year period and developed his skills and knowledge of fashion photography by working with modeling agencies, designers, and musicians. This led to work with brands including Valentino, Patricia Fields, and Valentina Kova and assignments in countries ranging from Colombia to Kenya. Smailagic moved back to Jacksonville in 2016 and adapted his photographic approach and his well-known photojournalistic documentation of street style at Downtown ArtWalks. Smailagic also runs Cre8Jax, a platform dedicated to highlighting the cultural development, events, and creators in the city.
Jordan R. Walter is a graphic designer and artist from Jacksonville with roots in Alabama. Jordan says he represents Duval County and the South proudly everywhere he goes. An alumnus of Paxon School for Advanced Studies who received his BA in applied science in digital media from Florida State College at Jacksonville. Through graphic design, photography, painting, and screen printing, Walter says he tries to capture the simple moments of togetherness, joy, and the appreciation of life in his artwork, especially aspects of life often overlooked.
Moving the Margins’ (MTM) groundbreaking artist-in-residence program has seen unprecedented success in its first year. An incubator for artists taking on contemporary themes of justice, each residency allows the artist to collaborate with the change agents of Jacksonville to create accessible, immersive art installations and public programming that seek to catalyze community action. MTM works in partnership with The Jessie Ball duPont Center and 904ward to work for community inclusivity and collaboration. “Past, Present and Future: Rivers, Threads, Pockets and Bubbles” is a unique presentation of artworks that reflect the juxtapositions of today’s culture, boiled down to what is immediate here in Jacksonville.
“Past, Present and Future: Rivers, Threads, Pockets and Bubbles” will be open thru November 2 at The Corner Gallery. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by appointment on weekends and after hours. 40 East Adams St. movingthemargins.org
