Jazz Brown
not this crude matter, 2018
acrylic on canvas
14 x 18"
Jazz Brown’s vibrant, bebop-inspired abstract paintings are what he calls “consciousness on canvas.” They embody a spiritual world-view with a sly sense of humor. The title of this piece is a quote from Yoda in the Star Wars movies, as he trains Jedi-to-be Luke Skywalker: “Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes.” The strong colors are a marker of transition for Brown; whenever he switches his approach he makes an initial painting with only primary colors.