THE FOCUS

Rachel Bubis: You describe yourself as a queer artist and your work as exclusively feminine. "I equate the femininity in my work to be two fold. The first is a force—what would an entirely unbridled experience of our world be if it was ONLY feminine? It’s terrifying and wonderful." What’s your process in thinking about such scenarios or worlds, and coming to create the final work? I know you're a writer as well and some of your...

"My work exists on two planes- personal and community. My paintings capture existence through the lens of the black woman, exalting the wholeness of her form and spirit with regards to the fact that she IS the mother of humanity- that from which we all came. Individual stories, given to me on an intimate, spiritual level as I craft pieces for permanent adornment on bodies- vessels of truly unique individuals- bridge my work over to community. The cultural practice of...

Rachel Bubis: You describe your work as having “a strong connection to the bold color fields found in 17th century Japanese folding screens," and "the fluid brushwork of the 19th century ink painter Uragami Gyokudō.” What draws you to Japanese art and culture? Jeffrey Morton: I lived and worked in Sendai, Japan (about 250 miles northeast of Tokyo) during my 20s; it was in the mid-1980’s and I taught English as a Second Language (ESL) to college students and businesspeople. Even wi...