World Renowned Artist Jim Hodges On How Art Can Save Us All
Jim Hodges has been at the forefront of conceptual art around the world for nearly three decades, known for work that makes a statement about social justice or equality, sometimes in big ways.
In one of his most famous installations is a set of massive sculptural boulders that he created by adhering stainless steel skins to the surface o 400-million-year-old stones. In another, he invited members of the United Nations to hand-write the phrase “don’t be afraid” in their native languages on a large piece of vinyl.
One of his earlier pieces is called "Latin Rose," constructed in 1989, which depicts an image of a rose that’s made out of tar paper and scotch tape.
"Latin Rose" was what he describes as a turning point early in his career. It’s an example of how he often uses familiar materials — whether it’s tar paper and scotch tape or metal jewelry chains or paper napkins — to transform the ordinary into something really powerful.
Jim Hodges is speaking at the Phoenix Art Museum on April 24 as the inaugural speaker at the museum's annual Lenhardt Lecture, a component of the David and Dawn Lenhardt Contemporary Art Initiative.