Jackson Martin serves as Chair of the Department of Art & Art History at the University of North Carolina Asheville. He is also Associate Professor of Sculpture and collaborative co-founder of the STEAM Studio. Martin was born and raised on a commune in rural Tennessee. He earned his BFA from Middle Tennessee State University and his MFA from Maryland Institute College of Art. He has taught at several institutions including, East Tennessee State University, College of Charleston, Penland and Arrowmont. He exhibits his work on a regional, national and international level. Notable venues include, Sculpture by the Sea, Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, Cameron Art Museum and Pratt Institute. He has also attended residencies at the Vermont Studio Center, Godsbanen Cultural Center in Denmark and Baggat Art Group in South Korea.
"Over the years my artwork has evolved into an interdisciplinary approach to sculpture, installation and photography. I am attracted to ordinary objects and I enjoy rescuing them from banality. My process involves recreating and reorganizing the components of these everyday items into extraordinary combinations. Often, I will circle back and compose photographs of the new hand-made objects, involving them in manipulated situations that aid in subverting their original context. I am also continually attracted to environments where nature is reclaiming industry. My installation projects aim to represent this complex relationship, affirming the absolute power and resilience of the natural world."
40-Hour-Workweek, 2017, 8 x 16 x 8 inches, Hand-cut-vinyl
Ascent-II, 2016, 9 x 40 x 15 feet, Steel, vinyl, soil, juniper trees, hardware
Fly, 2014, 36 x 48 x 40 inches, Oak, walnut, hardware
Making Amends No.11, 2020, 10 x 5 x 5 inches, Broken Styrofoam cup, cast-bronze, epoxy
Rooted II, 2013, 15 x 9 x 9 feet, Burlap, steel, rope, soil, cypress tree
