In Bloom: ‘Focus’ Artist Shaniqwa Jarvis
Exhibiting in the section supported by Stone Island, the LA artist is fascinated by the fragility of flowers and a ‘soft’ approach to identity
Exhibiting in the section supported by Stone Island, the LA artist is fascinated by the fragility of flowers and a ‘soft’ approach to identity
‘I love to photograph flowers,’ says Los Angeles artist Shaniqwa Jarvis. ‘Even though I am highly allergic to them.’ She creates her floral works, collages and paintings alongside. In capturing the fragile lives of people and plants, Jarvis locates an almost Old Master awareness of ‘beauty and death’.
Born in New York, but now resident in LA’s Mount Washington, Jarvis sees a newly blooming sense of community developing in her adopted city, particularly following the fires this year: ‘You can see it – this town came together so quickly,’ she says.
This sense of people’s place in the world is evident in Jarvis’s photography, from her editorial portraits of subjects including Cardi B, George Clinton, Spike Jonze and Lee Scratch Perry, to her art practice, which is rooted in her experience of going through family photo albums. Her collage works, Jarvis says, explore themes of identity ‘in a quiet way – you’re not shouting’.
Jarvis will be presenting all strands of her practice with Sow & Tailor in the Focus section at Frieze Los Angeles 2025, as well as designing the staff T-shirts for the fair, in collaboration with Focus sponsor Stone Island. The brand’s compass logo feels fitting for an artist who sees her work as a navigation:
‘When I’m photographing,’ she says, ‘I’m always trying to communicate with those who guide the way for me.’
About Stone Island
Founded in Italy in 1982, Stone Island has consistently pushed fabric technology and experimentation, particularly focusing on functionality and utilitarianism. As the Official Partner of Focus, Stone Island offers each participating gallery a bursary alongside Frieze’s subsidy. This support helps emerging galleries younger than 12 years take part in Focus and present today’s most forward-thinking artists, underscoring a shared commitment to experimentation, innovation and creative community.
Further Information
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Frieze Los Angeles is supported by global lead partner Deutsche Bank, continuing its legacy of celebrating artistic excellence on an international scale.
