Chefas Projects is delighted to present Love Notes from the Lurker, a series of new works by gallery artist Jess Ackerman. Reflecting themes of observation, introspection, and reframing one’s perspective, Love Notes from the Lurker is like a gift from the shadows – a reminder of things being connected and taken care of, even if they go unseen.
With this new series, Ackerman further refi nes their unique approach with vignette-like compositions that off er a contemplative refl ection on the things around them, moving into a slightly darker palette than before. Continuing to draw visual inspiration from vintage design motifs and quilt-like patterns, Love Notes from the Lurker presents canvases of long-tendriled plants growing wildly and spiraling freely under the cover of the night sky and the stars that fi ll it.
Love Notes from the Lurker is an ode to meditative observation of both the self and of one’s surroundings – akin to wandering around in the middle of the night to peer into diff erent neighbors’ gardens. “I’ve felt more like an observer in other lives than myself living my own,” refl ects Ackerman. Amidst glimpses of new spring growth after a long winter, recurring motifs of weeds emerge as unlikely teachers: unwelcome guests that, like intrusive thoughts, ground us in the richness of life’s undercurrents. “Like how weeds are necessary for biodiversity,” Ackerman reminds us, “working through or facing darkness is benefi cial for personal calm and long term nourishment.”
