Jackie Milad | Undoing the Knotted Parts | Pentimenti Gallery

Pentimenti Gallery is delighted to present Jackie Milad’s inaugural solo exhibition at the gallery, Undoing the Knotted Parts. This exhibition is included in (re)FOCUS 2024, a Philadelphia citywide program that celebrates women artists. The festival commemorates the 50th anniversary of Philadelphia Focuses on Women in the Visual Arts/1974.

The exhibition’s title, Undoing the Knotted Parts, alludes to the 19th-century practice, where British aristocrats and scholars hosted “mummy unrolling parties,” inviting large audiences to witness the unraveling of the bandages from deceased ancient Egyptians.

Through her canvases and works on paper, Jackie invites viewers into a world where myth, history, and materiality converge. Drawing inspiration from her rich Egyptian and Honduran heritage Jackie’s works weaves past and contemporary elements. She mostly concentrates on her deep fascination with ancient imagery from two distinct regions. Within her works, symbols representing the cyclical nature of life and death merge onto a single plane, creating a compelling narrative that transcends temporal boundaries. Jackie layers fragments of painted fabric, chiffon, and detailed drawings on paper to construct her canvases and works on paper. Each piece undergoes a series of transformative acts, including collage, sewing, and mounting, resulting in a harmonious fusion that forms both a metaphorical and physical tapestry.
Milad’s new sculpture series, Shabtis Gather (first iteration), reflects a unique approach to shabtis – an ancient Egyptian figurine found alongside mummified individuals. As these dolls were removed from their context, dispersed around the world, and lost their original meaning, they have taken on a new symbolic meaning for Jackie. Milad’s creation of shabtis serves as a symbolic gesture of repatriation and gathering, providing these figurines with a renewed sense of place and meaning.

Jackie Milad received her MFA from Towson University, Baltimore, MD, and her BFA from The School of Museum of Fine Arts and Tufts University, Boston, MA. She participated in numerous national and international exhibitions. Select exhibitions include Harvey B. Gantt Center, Charlotte, NC; The Walters Art Museum and The Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD; The Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC; Arthur Ross Gallery University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; Academy Art Museum, Easton, MD; Museo de Arte de Mazatlan, Mazatlan, MX; Weatherspoon Museum, Greensboro, NC. A recipient of the Individual Artist Grant from Maryland State Arts Council in 2019, 2016 & 2010. In 2019, she was a Robert W. Deutsch Foundation Ruby Grantee. In 2022, she received the Municipal Art Society of Baltimore City Travel Prize. Milad received the Creative Capital Award in 2024. Her work is included in public collections including Johns Hopkins University Sheridan Library, The Baltimore Museum of Art, the Academy Art Museum, the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation, and the Pizzuti Collection.