Diane Jacobs

Sticks and Stones

• March 10-April 10, 2003
• Opening reception March 21, 6:30 pm
• Artist talk in the gallery at 7:00 pm

Diane Jacobs has created a thought-provoking and revelatory body of work in two-dimensional printed matter transformed into intricate, detailed three-dimensional sculptures. These works at first appear benign. However, upon closer inspection, one finds her feminine portraits and images are imprinted with disturbingly stereotypical, provocative words. Collecting the slang and derogatory terms referring to women from friends, family, dictionaries on slang, and even strangers who responded to the question, “what are the worst names you have ever been called?” Jacobs uses language to bear witness to “the tenacious, white, patriarchal power structure.” The discovery of the malevolence and disdain toward women in Western culture revealed by Diane Jacobs’ works is disturbing, and mirrors the persistence of these same prejudicial sentiments in contemporary consciousness.

Diane earned her Bachelors Degree in Fine Art and a Fifth Year Graduate Art Program Certificate from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She also received her MFA in Printmaking from San Francisco State University. She participated in the Education Abroad Program at Il Bisonte, Florence, Italy, and received a Rotary Graduate Scholarship to study at Lorenzo de Medici Scuola della Arte in Florence, Italy as well. She has had numerous solo and group exhibitions in California, New York, and Arizona.