Field Projects is pleased to present Untamed/Untold, a solo exhibition of work by Anna Jekel, featuring large-scale painted paper cut-outs that occupy the walls and tell mystical, delightful, and sinister stories. The cut-outs are modern-day cave paintings that delve into a place where the hierarchies between plants, animals, and humans have dissolved and a primal freedom has emerged. And like the magical walls of prehistoric artists, Untamed/Untold is Jekel’s own cave where she revels in the absurdity and beauty of her obsessions: gender, sexuality, desire, and connection. The use of toned paper lends a warmth and sensitivity to the inhabitants of Untamed/Untold, while the childlike qualities of cut paper, crayons, and colored pencils imbue the world with a fairytale innocence. Gouache and ink are used in addition to the colored pencils and crayons; for Jekel, this mixed media approach encourages play and exploration. The dichotomies of naïveté and maturity, nature and humanity, deeply influenced Jekel’s life and work. Her fascination with nature stemmed from her many years visiting and exploring the mountain forests of western Massachusetts. After moving to New York City, her life became enveloped with human connection, but the enchantment sparked as a child continued undiminished. Navigating these two modes of life has led Jekel to a vision of a world abundant in interconnectedness, as joyfully depicted in Untamed/Untold.

Anna Jekel is an artist living in New York City. From Newton, MA, she grew up in a creative household where she was frequently drawing, crafting, taking photographs, and playing dress up. She graduated from Northeastern University with a B.S. in Theatre Production. After graduation Anna worked as a costume designer, but started painting seriously during the pandemic lockdown. She has since shifted focus entirely to painting and currently maintains a studio practice in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Her work reflects her struggle with depression and explores gender, sexuality, and love as well as human connection to the natural world.