Artist DonChristian Jones' Museum of Modern Art residency is a love letter to his father
A Philadelphia artist is making his debut at the Museum of Modern Art PS1 in New York City's Queen neighborhood. His work is an ode to his late father and the city of Brotherly Love.
Through the art museum and gallery, up the stairs and around the corner, Don Christian Jones also known as DonChristian, takes you back in time, sorting through hundreds of items collected mostly from his Philadelphia childhood home and archived by his late father and muse, Frederic Douglas Jones II.
"He co-founded Bushfire Theatre Company back in the '70s. He was one of the first EBONY fashion male models," Jones said.
The creative comes from a long line of artists, including his mother, who was a model, and his older brother Iman, who is a photographer and CBS Philadelphia assignment editor. His aunt, a principal dancer at Philadanco, was married to R&B artist Teddy Pendergrass.
As the inaugural Adobe Creative Resident at the MoMA, he was given free will to create his immersive installation.
The exhibition is called the "Sumptuous Discovery of Gotham a Go-Go."
"It was inspired a lot by the noir genre, the detective genre. An acclimation of time. I really wanted to create an installation that leaves you feeling like you are in the '30s and '40s but also the '60s and '70s," Jones said.
The installation also explores themes of Black empowerment, including the queer subculture of "ballroom."
Along with his Queens installation, Jones has a mural inside MoMA's main location in Manhattan.
Jones said having residency at MoMA is a full circle moment and his exhibit is less about him and more about his father's legacy.
"It's an opportunity for me to combine his archive with my own and extend his story into mine and keep him alive and honor him in broader ways," Jones said.
To find more about the exhibit visit MoMA's website.
