At 81, Artist Suzanne Jackson Finally Gets the Major Museum Retrospective She Deserves

Suzanne Jackson, an extraordinary artist celebrated for her unique and innovative approach to art, made a remarkable splash in the contemporary art scene with her first solo exhibition in New York at the Ortuzar Gallery in 2019. At the age of 75, this watershed moment positioned the Missouri-born, Georgia-based artist as a profound figure within the art community. Jackson’s artistic journey began in the 1960s with her ethereal, watercolor-like figurative paintings that drew inspiration from her natural surroundings. Recently, her practice has evolved into the creation of captivating suspended sculptures, or “anti-canvases,” where acrylic paint seems to transcend traditional surfaces, combining found materials such as nets, bamboo, and lace. These stunning installations caught the attention of audiences at the 2024 Whitney Biennial, as well as in the exhibition “Suzanne Jackson: Somethings in the World” (2023-24), a collaborative exhibition between the Fondazione Furla and the Galleria d’Arte Moderna in Milan.

Suzanne Jackson Wind and Water 1975. The Museum of Modern Art New York acquired through the generosity of the Modern...

Following the success of her survey—marking the first European exhibition dedicated to her work—Jackson’s major museum retrospective opened at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). Titled “Suzanne Jackson: What Is Love,” this extensive survey is co-organized with the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and is set to travel there in spring 2026 before concluding at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Encompassing over 80 pieces, the exhibition chronicles Jackson’s remarkable life and artistic journey, spanning various artistic forms, including painting, sculpture, and theater design.

Reflecting on her burst of recognition, Jackson shared her feelings with Vogue, stating, “In the past five years, Ortuzar Gallery has taken me all over the world to places I never thought I’d visit. During my art school days at San Francisco State College, we were taught to expect recognition at a more mature age, and here I am, and I don’t feel my age at all.”

Jackson perceives this retrospective, which has taken five years to develop, as a “gift.” She expressed gratitude towards San Francisco, stating, “This city is my home. My parents brought me here when I was just nine months old, and it’s where I first immersed myself in art classes. It fills me with pride because it’s where my parents thrived socially and professionally.” Her family’s migration from Saint Louis during the Great Migration deeply influences her perspective—her father served as a realtor and trolley driver while her mother was a seamstress who owned a penny candy store.

At the age of eight, the Jackson family relocated to Fairbanks, Alaska, a move that profoundly influenced her artistic subjects and commitment to environmentalism. Jackson returned to San Francisco for college in 1961, majoring in painting and exploring drama, dance, and scenic design, further fueling her artistic aspirations.

After obtaining her MFA in theater design from Yale in 1990, Jackson returned to San Francisco, where she initially worked as a scenic and costume designer, allowing her to financially support her primary passion for painting. Reflecting on her artistic practice, she commented, “In theater or dance, creative control is shared; in painting, the studio is my space to experiment freely.” Jackson’s writing also plays a significant role in her creative process. The title of SFMOMA’s current exhibition references her first book of poems and paintings, What I Love, published in 1972. She notes, “When I apply paint, I can feel a rhythm, blending dance, literature, and poetry within my visual art.”

Suzanne Jackson deepest ocean what we do not know we might see 2021. Tanoto Family Collection.

Throughout her journey, Jackson also spent pivotal years in Los Angeles, where she studied under the esteemed Charles White, known for his significant works depicting African American life. In the 1980s, she taught painting at the Idyllwild School of Music and Arts (now Idyllwild Arts), taking over from Françoise Gilot during this time. While expanding her own artistic portfolio, Jackson also dedicated herself to uplifting the careers of fellow artists, many of whom have gained prominence in contemporary art.

From 1968 to 1970, she ran Gallery 32 from her Los Angeles studio, showcasing works by influential artists like David Hammons, Betye Saar, and Senga Nengudi. One of her notable exhibitions, “The Sapphire Show: You’ve Come a Long Way Baby,” was recognized as the first survey of African American women artists in Los Angeles. Additionally, in 1972, Jackson was instrumental in organizing the visual art component of Black Expo ’72, known as Black Quake, presenting works by over 175 artists, including White and Saar, as well as Jacob Lawrence and Elizabeth Catlett.

Cover of Suzanne Jacksons publication What I Love Paintings Poetry and a Drawing 1972

Today, Jackson continues to be an integral part of her creative community. In 2023, she founded the Suzanne Fitzallen Jackson Foundation, which provides fully funded residencies for early to mid-career artists, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds in the South. Based at her home and studio in Savannah, which is registered as a wildlife refuge, the foundation launched its first residency this year. Jackson has resided in Savannah since 1996, when she joined the Savannah College of Art and Design as a faculty member until 2009. She also maintains a studio in St. Remy, New York, aiming to expand her foundation’s residencies.

Moving to Savannah presented both challenges and enlightenment for Jackson, providing insight into the region’s complex history—a theme she tackles in works like the suspended piece Crossing Ebenezer (2017), which uses red acrylic, firewood netting, peanut shells, and wood to memorialize the tragic drowning of newly freed slaves in Savannah’s Ebenezer Creek in 1864. Reflecting on her experiences, she shared, “When I first saw that river, I was unaware of its significant history.”

Suzanne Jackson Crossing Ebenezer 2017. Collection Beth Rudin DeWoody.

Jackson’s work also addresses themes of historical trauma, as seen in her striking, ten-foot-tall piece A Hole in the Marker—Mary Turner 1918 (2020), referencing the lynching of a pregnant woman in 1918. Inspired by the discovery of a similar work by Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller from 1919, Jackson reflects on the spiritual connection between her work and Fuller’s, stating, “Sometimes my art embodies an ancestral memory of events I wasn’t aware of.”

Her innovative use of discarded materials is a defining trait of her sculptural practice. Jackson shares her fascination for repurposing, highlighting a story from her theater days when she rescued strong paper from the trash to create her art. Over the years, she honed her technique of applying acrylic paint without traditional backing, allowing textures to shine through her artistic expressions.

Suzanne Jackson ¿What Feeds Us 202425 . Commissioned by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

An ardent follower of David Attenborough documentaries, Jackson is deeply aware of the environmental crises plaguing our world. This awareness guides her artistic practice, inspiring her to incorporate materials such as Styrofoam and shredded mail into her work while avoiding contributions to landfills. Her upcoming large-scale installation for SFMOMA, What Feeds Us? (2025), and its blending of synthetic and organic materials, explores the themes of environmental concern and migration. “It addresses how our waste impacts communities that traditionally live sustainably,” Jackson explains.

With a career spanning over six decades, Jackson’s journey is one of transformation and perseverance. Layer by layer, like the acrylic paint she employs, her artistic voice continues to grow and resonate.

“Suzanne Jackson: What Is Love” is currently on display at SFMOMA through March 1, 2026.