Jeffrey Gibson’s ‘A Real Love Thing’ Surveys a Decade of the Artist’s Multidisciplinary Practice
Fifteen works amplify Gibson's interest in pattern, music, queer iconography, and his Indigenous Mississippi Choctaw and Cherokee heritage. Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Jeffrey Gibson’s ‘A Real Love Thing’ Surveys a Decade of the Artist’s Multidisciplinary Practice…
Jeffrey Gibson's exhibition "A Real Love Thing" at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center explores the artist's multidisciplinary practice over the past decade. The exhibition features 15 works that showcase Gibson's interest in pattern, queer iconography, and his Indigenous Mississippi Choctaw and Cherokee heritage. Drawing inspiration from music, Gibson incorporates song lyrics into wall hangings and three-dimensional pieces, such as "Dewdrops in the Garden" (2025), which uses acrylic, glass beads, and artificial sinew.
The title of the exhibition is derived from a 1971 Marvin Gaye interview, where he described his album What's Going On, expressing his desire for a love-above-all ethos. Gibson's work celebrates Indigenous symbolism and traditional materials, like jingle cones and glass beads, while envisioning a future filled with hope, joy, and acceptance.
The exhibition will run until March 13 at the Bloomberg Center, with an additional talk by Gibson on November 12 as part of the Sam Gilliam Lecture series. A traveling solo exhibition, "They Teach Love," is on display at the University of Oregon through March 7.
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