Jacolby Satterwhite is a celebrated conceptual artist known for his immersive installations, virtual reality experiences, and digital media that address crucial themes of labor, consumption, carnality, and fantasy. Through his work, he synthesizes multiple disciplines, including illustration, performance, painting, sculpture, photography, and writing, often incorporating intricate animations and live-action films.
Born in 1986 in Columbia, South Carolina, Satterwhite received his BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art and his MFA from the University of Pennsylvania. His work has been presented in numerous international exhibitions and festivals, including the Contemporary Art Museum, St. Louis, the Gwangju Biennale, and the Museum of Modern Art, New York.
Satterwhite's practice is influenced by a wide range of references, including mythology, modernism, contemporary visual culture, and video game language. He draws from his personal experiences and memories, as well as the stories of those around him, to challenge conventions of Western art.
One significant influence on his work is his late mother, Patricia Satterwhite, whose ethereal vocals and diagrams for visionary household products serve as the source material for many of his projects. Satterwhite's work is characterized by its use of fantastical and real-world references, as well as its exploration of the relationship between technology and the human experience.
In addition to his solo exhibitions, Satterwhite has collaborated with several musicians, including Solange Knowles, The 1975, and Perfume Genus. His work is included in the collections of the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, the Museum of Modern Art, the Studio Museum in Harlem, and the Whitney Museum of American Art, among others.
Satterwhite has received numerous awards and commissions, including the United States Artist Francie Bishop Good & David Horvitz Fellowship and a public art commission from the Studio Museum in Harlem and the Public Art Fund to inaugurate Lincoln Center's new David Geffen Hall. He was also awarded The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Great Hall Commission, which will debut in October of this year.
As an artist, Satterwhite continues to push the boundaries of his practice, exploring new ways to use technology and digital media to tell stories and challenge our understanding of the world around us.
