EDUCATION
RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN
Providence, RI
Painting
MFA Candidate, 2020.
BROWN UNIVERSITY
Providence, RI
Public Policy and Theater Arts
B.A. Honors, 2013.
SHANGHAI THEATRE ACADEMY
Shanghai, China
Enrolled in Chinese Language and
Culture, and Opera, 2011.
ART RESIDENCY/FELLOWSHIP/AWARDS (Selected)
TKE PROFESSIONAL ARTIST STUDIO. Margate, UK 2022 - present
FORBES 30 UNDER 30 for Art and Style 2020
THE STEEL YARD RESIDENCY (Blacksmithing). Providence, RI. 2020
RISD MUSEUM Graduate Assistantship for Contemporary Art, Providence, RI 2018-19
RISD Teaching Assistantship, Providence, RI 2018-20
QUEER ARTS MENTORSHIP Performance Mentee with David Thompson. NYC. 2017 -18
BROWN UNIVERSITY Guest Lecture in Dance Composition. Providence, RI. 2017, 2018
BELLWEATHER ART RESIDENCY Visual Art Residency. NYC. 2017
HARLEM ARTS FESTIVAL Theater/Visual Art Artist. NYC. 2016
VISUAL ART EXHIBITIONS
*1-2 per show
2023
Twentysomethings. Orlando Museum of Art.
Orlando, FL. Collector’s show curated by Coralie
Claeysen-Gleyzon
Full and Pure, Body, Materiality, Gender curated by
Mara Hasan. Green Family Art Foundation. Dallas, TX
2022
Untitled Art Fair Miami Beach, 1969 Gallery, Miami, FL
Greener Grass, Halsey McKay Gallery, East
Hampton, NY
New England Triennial, Fruitlands Museum
Harvard, MA
*From the Ground, Up, 1969 Gallery, New York, NY
Somewhere In Advance of Nowhere: Freedom
Dreams in Contemporary Art, Samuel Dorsky
Museum of Art, New Paltz, NY
*Wade, Friends Indeed Gallery, SF, California
2021
*Solo exhibition,
1969 Gallery, New York, NY
This is America,
KUNSTRAUM POTSDAM, Berlin, Germany
2020
Miami is a Beach
1969 Gallery, New York, NY
*Chosen Family
Praise Shadows Art Gallery, Boston,MA
20/20: RISD MFA Painting
1969 Gallery, New York, NY
*Seale(d)
Steven Turner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Countermythologies
NXTHVN, New Haven, CT
Telephone
Fierman Gallery, NYC
(RE)POSITION
RISD Museum, Providence, RI
Special Collection at RISD President's House
RISD, Providence, RI
2019
Free Them All 2: An Art Show for Queer Prisoners
Amsterdam Collective Casa de Cultura, NYC
Holiday Show
Skye Gallery, Providence, RI
Black: color | context | meaning
RISD Museum, Providence, RI
Ether
Skye Gallery, Providence, RI
Painting Department Triennial Exhibition
Woods-Gerry Gallery, Providence, RI
Smear
Design Center RISD, Providence, RI
2018
Criteria of Beauty
RISD Museum, Providence, RI
RISD Painting Biennial
Sol Kolfler Gallery, Providence, RI
Mobi Queer Art Festival*
Hair Painting Performance, Gallery Brooklyn, NY
Queer Art Annual Show
The LGBTQ Center, NYC
HAIR PAINTINGS AND OTHER STORIES. *
La MaMa Galleria, NYC
Hair Painting No. 29 - acquisition performance*
Columbus Museum. Columbus, GA.
2017
BEING WITH YOU.
Gallery 67. NYC.
SPRING/BREAK ART SHOW.
4 Times Sq. NYC.
BAU HAUS SEMI ANNUALS (6 shows). *
Bau Haus. Brooklyn, NYC
32nd GRAPHIC ARTS BIENNIAL.*
Swiss House/MGLC. Ljubljana, Slovenia
THE VOID - Special Biennial showcase.
Galerija Kresija. Ljubljana, Slovenia
RE: ART x 12 SHOW.
Former Pfizer Factory. Brooklyn, NYC
Zine
Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Art, Brooklyn, NYC
2016
WORK.
Outlet. Brooklyn, NY
HARLEM ARTS FESTIVAL
Marcus Garvey Park. Harlem, NYC
THE TIES THAT BIND, BEND, AND BREAK*
Secret Dungeon. Brooklyn, NY
FRESH START.
Outlet . Brooklyn, NY
HASHTAGS UNPLUGGED.
Caelum Gallery. Chelsea, NY
THE BLACK JOY TAKEOVER. *
The Studio Museum in Harlem. Harlem, NY
WHO’S HARLEM? / WHOSE HARLEM?
La Maison D’Art. Harlem, NY
HARLEM ARTS FESTIVAL GALA. *
Solo Visual Artist. Harlem, NY
2015
MATTERING: AN ARTS FORUM
Speyer Hall/NYU. New York, NY
ARTISTS AGAINST POLICE VIOLENCE
East Meets West Gallery. Boston, MA
THEATER/DANCE
2023
HAIR PAINTING PERFORMANCE as a part of
NYC PRIDE. Marsha P. Johnson State Park
Brooklyn, NY
Solo Performer
2022
HAIR PAINTING PERFORMANCE
New England Triennial, Fruitlands Museum
Harvard, MA
Solo Performer
2020
GARFIELDLAND by Dylan Lewis
Brown University, Providence, RI
Halloween New Play Festival
Director of Staged Reading Over Zoom
2019
THE SONIC LIFE OF A GIANT TORTOISE by Toshiki Okada
Brown University, Providence, RI
Movement Director
STRAND by Nafis White
RISD Museum, Providence, RI
Performer, Dancer
2017
MOTHER MAY I.
Ars Nova, NYC.
Cabaret Show Performer
HEAVEN IS HERE.
Ars Nova, NYC.
Featured Performer
2016
KINGS AND QUEENS OF LOVE.
Ars Nova. NYC.
Featured Performer
FOXTROT FOXTROT WHISKEY.
Center for Performance Research. Brooklyn, NY.
Performer
DELILAH
Dixon Place New York, NY.
Performer
2015
Les Blancs By Lorraine Hansberry
Harlem School of the Arts
Harlem, NY. Co-Director
Clark’s Dolls By Liz Morgan
Manhattan Repertory Theater. New York, NY
Movement, Mask and Music Director
2014
Projection By Liz Morgan
The Times Square Arts Center. New York, NY
Director
2013
Dyke/Warrior Prayers By Sharon Bridgforth
Rites and Reason Theater. Providence, RI
Choreographer
Straight White Men By Young Jean Lee
Leeds Theater. Providence, RI
Asst. Director to Young Jean Lee
The Bluest Eye adapted by Lydia Diamond
Leeds Theater - Senior Slot - Faculty Selected. Providence, RI
Director/Choreographer
Gospel Of Loving Kindness By Marcus Gardley
Brown/Trinity Rep. Providence, RI.
Asst. Director/Choreographer/Voice
FILM/MUSIC
Live Flute Performance for Film. Brooklyn, NYC
Smack Mellon , Composer, Performer - 2017
NYU MFA FIlMS. NYC.
Featured actor, collaborator, producer - 2017
FEMMES AGAINST FASCISM. Brooklyn, NYC
Featured Singer - 2017
Twisted (2017). Brooklyn, NYC
Director, Editor - 2017
Soundscapes 10, 17 - Brooklyn, NY
Composer (voice, piano, production) - 2017
ARTISTS LECTURES/TEACHING EXPERIENCE/WORKSHOPS
RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN. Providence, RI. ADJUNCT PROFESSOR/CRITIC - Senior Painting Workshop, Junior Painting (2021-22). GUEST CRITIC. Invited to critique Printmaking Juniors (2020, 2021). TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIP. Assisted full time professors at RISD in leading courses in Painting Dept. Courses included Painting II, Material and Color Foundation, Painting III. (2018 - 2020)
SCHOOL OF THE NEW YORK TIMES. New York, NY. VISITING ARTIST - Artist talk and discussion. I shared my work with high school students who are participating in this NYTimes program. I was invited by artist Jim Drain. (2022)
SOTHEBY’S INSTITUTE OF ART. New York, NY. VISITING ARTIST for Pre-College students. Mark Making workshop and art lecturing inspired by Ed Clark’s brush paintings. Participants learn about Clark and Key’s (among others) individual creative processes and then have the chance to create their own marks. (2022)
RISD MUSEUM. Providence, RI . ARTIST LECTURE AND WORKSHOP. Virtual Mark Making Workshop with Providence community members. (2021)
THE JUILLIARD SCHOOL. New York, NY. MOVEMENT AND SOUND WORKSHOP - I was invited by Kym Moore to work with Juilliard students as they prepared for a production of Hoodoo Love. I led a series of movement and sound/music exercises that focused on character development. (2018)
BROWN UNIVERSITY. Providence, RI. Guest Artist Workshop. Structured, organized and taught a 2 week embodied painting workshop with Dance Composition students at Brown University. Culminated in 4 devised group performances by students relying on gesture, sound, and narrative with Painting. Invited by Instructor/ Michelle Bach-Coulibaly (Fall 2017, Fall 2018)
HORACE MANN. Bronx, NY. Unity Day keynote speaker. Also led hands on workshop with Middle Schoolers (2019)
TRANS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT lecture/panel. Montez Press Radio featured interview of collaborators and artists Jarrett Key and Son Kit (2018)
YALE UNIVERSITY. New Haven, CT. Panel Discussion for Codify Art. A Dean, cultural and student art fraternity invited Codify Art to discuss our mission as an organization, the art we make individually, and the impact that our work has on the community. (2018)
BRONX HIGH SCHOOL FOR WRITING AND COMMUNICATION ARTS. Led a Shakespeare Workshop to help LGBTQ high school students prepare for a production of Midsummer Night’s Dream Remixed. (2017)
WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART. New York, NY. Panel Discussion for Codify Art. The Whitney invited Codify Art to facilitate a Study Session focusing on their exhibition, WHERE WE ARE: SELECTIONS FROM THE WHITNEY’S COLLECTION, 1900–1960. (2017)
CIRCLE IN THE SQUARE - BROADWAY THEATER. New York, NY. Panel discussion. The American Theater Wing invited me to discuss theater, art, and opportunity in the art making field to 30 Black and Hispanic high school students. (2016).
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY. New York, NY. Panel discussion. Titled “Slashers,” this panel discussion centered on my multidisciplinary art-making practice. (2016).
EWM BOOKSTORE. Boston, MA. Artist Talk. I discussed “I AM” oil painting with queer and POC community members from Boston. (2015).
WORKS IN COLLECTIONS
NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY New York, NY Acquisition Year: 2023
Jarrett in the Air Looking Up, 2022 Oil on cement (fresco) 17 3/4 x 14 x 1 1/2 in. JARRETT KEY (APHULFDQ, E. 1990)
New-York Historical Society, Gift of Pamela and David Hornik, 2023.7
Cloud I, 2022 Oil on cement (fresco) 7 1/4 x 19 x 1 1/4 in. JARRETT KEY (APHULFDQ, E. 1990)
New-York Historical Society, Purchase, Watson Fund, 2023.8
THE LUMPKIN-BOCCUZZI FAMILY COLLECTION New York, NY
Acquisition Year: 2020 Hide and Seek (2020) Key Family in the Garden (2019) Kam and I (2019)
COLUMBUS MUSEUM Columbus, GA Acquisition Year: 2018 Hair Painting No. 29 (2018)
https://columbusmuseum.pastperfectonline. com/webobject/BCC56AAD-E13C- 43E7-9492-917336626744
Video of Hair Painting No. 29 (2018) https://columbusmuseum.pastperfectonline. com/webobject/2A0DEC26-9AC4-4B73- 9E49-491565644320
RISD SPECIAL COLLECTION Providence, RI Acquisition Year: 2018
Stills: Letters to Grandma (2018)
https://librarycat.risd.edu/record=b1573542~S4 Trans (2017) https://librarycat.risd.edu/record=b1548514~S4
MUSEUM OF MODERN ART (MOMA) New York, NY Acquisition Year: 2017
Trans - Zine (2017)
https://arcade.nyarc.org:443/record=b1400348~S8
THE MET MUSEUM- WATSON LIBRARY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS New York, NY Acquisition Year: 2017
Trans - Zine (2017)
https://library.metmuseum.org:443/ record=b1934185~S1
Judges 16:18 (2016)
https://library.metmuseum.org/record=b1934186~S1
BROWN UNIVERSITY - Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America (CSREA) Providence, RI Acquisition Year: 2018
Trans Spread Print (2017)
PRESS/PUBLICATION
2022
The Brooklyn Rail - Solo Show Review by Andrew Paul Woolbright - https://brooklynrail.org/2022/04/artseen/Jarrett-Key-from-the-ground-up
“‘Young, Gifted and Black’ Opens July 28 at UC Davis Manetti Shrem Museum” | UC Davis | June 2022 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57068a4c2fe13140b89958ea/t/62f28fdc84120a00dc3103da/1660063708317/jarrett+1.pdf
“Editors’ Picks: 15 Events for Your Calendar This Week” | Artnet News| https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57068a4c2fe13140b89958ea/t/622a3e45ec960b17df0d3073/1646935621498/Jarrett+Key_from+the+ground+up_Artnet+News+2022.pdf
2020
RISD - https://www.risd.edu/news/stories/forbes-2020-salutes-rising-stars/
Forbes - https://www.forbes.com/pictures/5dd46a472c886a0007ec8aab/jarrett-key-28/#1cd98eb621ce
2019
Alabama Newscenter - https://alabamanewscenter.com/2019/02/08/twin-brothers-from-a-small-alabama-town-are-turning-heads-in-the-new-york-art-world/
Ledger Enquirer - https://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/local/article238224659.html
2018
RISD XYZ - Artist Feature, Fall/Winter 2018/19
The Tenth Magazine: CaliCod issue. Artist Feature (2018) print.
Ledger Enquirer - Review of Hair Painting Performance/Commission at Columbus Museum (print)
Revision Path - Artist Feature - Podcast interview
http://www.artnews.com/2017/03/03/a-tour-of-the-2017-springbreak-art-show/
http://www.whitewall.art/art/springbreak-art-takes-times-square-office-building
https://www.apollo-magazine.com/collaboration-and-conversation-in-ljubljana/
THEM - https://www.them.us/story/jarrett-key-uses-their-hair-to-create-epic-performance-art
UNPOPCULTR - “Doing the Work with Jon and Jarrett Key.” https://www.unpopcultr.co/blog/jon-jarrett-key
2017
https://hyperallergic.com/363253/the-messy-diy-aesthetic-of-the-springbreak-art-show/
2016
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/video/3421415-highlighting-the-best-of-harlem/
Azim, Zalika. Tracing Existence. Studio Museum Magazine. (2017)
Meredith, Maya. Wade in the Water. Featured Artist (2016).
Williams, Sharnice. The Art of Racism. Featured Artist (2016).
Key, Jarrett. Black Performance: Ritual of Music and Dance in Congo Square. Honors Thesis. (2013).
ART COLLECTIVE
CODIFY ART
Brooklyn, NY
Producing Director, Summer 2014 to Present.
Codify Art is a Brooklyn based collective of multidisciplinary artists. I manage operation and production schedules. Communicate directly with artists and cultivates relationships with venues and art institutions.
WORK EXPERIENCE
RISD Painting Dept
Providence, RI
Adjunct Professor/Critic, 2021-22
I taught Junior and Senior Painting at RISD. Developed curriculum based on the necessary skills to have a full painting practice. Prioritized reading, writing, art demos, and group critiques.
RISD MUSEUM
Providence, RI
RISD Museum Contemporary Art
Department’s Graduate Assistant , 2018 - 2019
Researched contemporary artists across disciplines to support Dominic Malone in achieving the programming and administrative needs of the dept. Corresponded with artists, museum employees, and collectors. Organized database for presentation research material.
RISD CAREER CENTER
Providence, RI
GRAD ASSISTANTSHIP PEER ADVISOR , 2019-2020
Advised undergrad and graduate students at RISD on artistic and professional development skills (resume/cover letter review, internship and job prep, residency and grant resources and guidance). Organized and led professional development workshop for grad students in the Painting dept.
SOTHEBY’S INSTITUTE OF ART
New York, NY
ADMISSIONS ASSISTANT, 2018
Managed admissions process for Sotheby’s graduate school program. Corresponded with students and faculty to set appts. Responsible for managing and organizing files and application materials. Connected with many international curators.
THE PUBLIC THEATER
New York, NY
ASSISTANT TO THE ASSOCIATE PRODUCER, 2013-17
Managed the schedule for the Associate Producer, work-related and personal appointments. Served as a liaison between all departments at the Public to maintain transparency in progress on projects and tasks. Created monthly financial expense reports, performance reports and evaluations for Producing Office. Hired interns and managed internship program for Producing department.
BROWN UNIVERSITY THEATER DEPT.
Providence, RI
ASST. PUBLICITY MANAGER/BOX OFFICE AGENT, 2009 - 2013
Created advertising campaigns for targeted demographic outreach, while working as liaison between directors, producers and playwrights. Managed funds and tickets sales for Department Shows. Assisted in advertising campaign for productions in various digital platforms.
ELEISON GROUP/AMERICAN VALUES NETWORK (Consulting Firm)
Washington, DC
INTERN, 2012
Created a portfolio of 4 newspaper ads for a Congressional member, using Photoshop and InDesign. Wrote policy briefs and memos for several clients on pertinent material for cases, and pitches.
LAW OFFICE OF GWYN NEWSOM
Columbus, GA
LAW CLERK , 2009 - 2010
Interviewed each client to ascertain details regarding background information, case history, and other preliminary material. Analyzed legal documents (affidavits, discoveries, legal journals, and case books) to assist Ms. Newsom in research for legal cases. Interviewed each client to ascertain details regarding background information, case history, and other preliminary material.