The art of Jordan Casteel is grounded in empathy—in the space where the boundaries between the self and the other melts away leaving the impenetrable bond of compassion and understanding that lies at the very root of our humanity. Here, in the sacred realm of spirit, a mutual affinity between souls is distilled and preserved forevermore in mesmerizing works of art.
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“My entire life, I would be the person described as a deeply empathetic, caregiver, leader, observer,” Casteel says. “It’s been a natural space for me to encompass because it is so inherent to who I am. I have always been curious about what people experience before they got in front of me: all the things that make them who they are. Then, when they are in front of me, paying attention to the subtle gestures, body language, and tonal shifts in a conversation that allude to something deeper or more meaningful.”
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In Within Reach, her first solo museum exhibition (temporarily closed due to COVID-19) and accompanying catalogue, Casteel invites us into her world in a series of nearly 40 large scale paintings that celebrate the beauty of color as it exists in people, places, and the nature of art itself. Casteel’s encounters with the people of her community are so powerful and poignant, you might think she has known her subjects all her life—but many of the relationships begin with the first encounter to make their portrait. That’s simply Casteel’s way; she moves through the world with fluidity and ease, her curiosity guiding her to cultivate connections with people from all walks of life that populate the communities where she has lived and worked over the past decade.
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