Artist Statement

Within the tactile embrace of sculpted forms, installation, and performance, I navigate the profound depths of human experience. My work is an excavation of the soul, a journey through the intricate landscapes of addiction, trauma, loss, and the echoes of heritage. Each work bears the weight of narratives woven from the threads of personal and collective history. I peel back layers to reveal the scars left by addiction, the imprints of trauma, and the voids left by loss. The sculptures are not mere expressions of pain; they are testaments to the transformative power of acknowledging and confronting our struggles. Within the contours of each piece, there is a narrative of healing, a testament to the strength that emerges from vulnerability. Crafting my works out of colorful materials, I hope to animate their content and give testimony to strength and resilience. I often integrate the bright, vibrant colors as a contrast to the darker themes of my work. The sculptural forms, installations, and performances serve as reminders of the intangible emotions so many of us feel. I ultimately strive to create a visual language that resonates and inspires viewers while offering a safe and productive platform for those to confront and manage the often difficult search for sobriety and search for healing deep trauma and loss.

Bio

Jenna Billian was born in 1985. She received her BA in Studio Art in 2022 from Framingham State University where she studied Sculpture. Billian has been included in various exhibitions including Fitchburg Art Museum’s 87th Regional Exhibition of Art and Craft where she won the Craft Prize, and the Danforth Art Museum’s Annual Juried Show where she won the Emerging Artist Award. Billian has been awarded several artist grants, and had her first solo exhibition at the Danforth Art Museum in September 2023. Billian explores the intersection of trauma, addiction, and escape in her work. She was recently accepted into the University of Maryland, College Park’s MFA program where she will study Sculpture.