Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC presents The Library Series, an exhibition by Jabari C. Jefferson.
By: Paulien Debrie
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Last year, Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC started an amazing partnership with an award-winning non-profit in DC, named Swirl.
For 40 years, the Four Seasons Hotel has been building on a tradition of excellence, innovation, and community involvement.
By collaborating with Swirl, their commitment will be continued. The project consists of novel programs pleasuring families and supporting local charities at the same time.
The two partners hosted the artist Jabari C. Jefferson in summer 2019. Jefferson is an accomplished artist and art teacher based in Washington, DC. The Hotel, Swirl, and the local artist were all part of the project Hotel at Play. The purpose of the project was to create a vivid depiction showing the happiness of childhood.
Jefferson led the weekly sessions for children at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, DC. Together, they made a three-part mural. The masterpiece is donated to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington DC which serves over 15,000 kids.
The collaboration continues today. In August, Jefferson presented one piece of The Library Series. The series of paintings display what makes each season so special in Washington DC. The first one is the fall piece, right now hanging in the lobby of Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC.
For this artwork, Jefferson says, “I was inspired by the feeling of walking the Georgetown brownstone neighborhoods on autumn evenings. This beautiful area is at its peak in the fall and I have always loved how people from all walks of life gather here to take it in. One vivid memory in particular is during Halloween, when kids all get dressed up and head to the neighborhood as it also had the best treats.”
Are you excited to know more about this inspiring artist? Here’s some information about his used techniques, focus, and objectives.
Jabari C. Jefferson is a mixed media oil painter located in Washington, DC. His vibrant, multimedia paintings represent a threefold subject: self-education, self-development, and learning self-identity. Jefferson searches local Black communities for once-owned items and reuses them. He gets his inspiration from the ongoing energy in the material from their previous owners.
The goal is to communicate what the process of learning looks like. Jefferson conveys this message using the symbolism of a library of books. The image of a library is rooted in his memory since his childhood. His father and grandfather were working as a librarian and an archivist. Jefferson got inspired by walking through the many massive bookcases. It is about putting together the process of learning and the aesthetics of the libraries. Jefferson uses his art to communicate metaphorically that we are all living libraries composed of experiences, wisdom, history, and heritage.
Black communities are the primary audience of Jefferson’s pieces of art. In doing so, he addresses the poor representation of Black communities in these categories of artistic conversation.
In the upcoming months, Jefferson will reveal other work, highlighting sprightliness and diversity in Washington, DC.
** Paulien Debrie is a Brussels based student completing her Master’s Degree in Communications. She is also a virtual intern with Heintz Media Group, and helps the TravelAnne team writing for the blog.