Troy Jones (b. 1974) is a contemporary artist born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey. He lives and works in Jersey City and New York City. Since receiving his Bachelor's Degree in Fine Art from New Jersey City University in 2015, he has exhibited his oil paintings extensively throughout the U.S. and abroad. In 2020, he presented his first solo show at Black Wall Street Gallery in New York City. Jones has studied under his mentor, world-renowned artist Ben Jones, for over 30 years. His latest evolving series, “Mask”, presents contemporary African-American figures wearing varied African masks, dealing with the human experience of wearing masks for self-preservation.
Artist Statement
The aim of my art is to shine a bright light on the lasting impact that the African diaspora has had on the African American experience. In my latest body of work, mostly made up of large-scale oil paintings, I employ a motif of African tribal masks donned by contemporary African Americans because I’ve been called to further narrate the story of African Americans in today’s society.
And while my subjects tend to carry a distinctly urban style and aesthetic, drawing viewers to their aura of modernity and confidence, their masks function as a direct link to their African heritage. In this way, the masks symbolize protection, guidance, vitality, and spirit. They’re also an allegory to hidden histories and cultural preservation. As a result, my subjects embody various aspects of what it means to be African American.
We need to see ourselves in the right light and it’s my hope that my work can help us to do so. One important question that I attempt to answer in my work is, How can African Americans contribute so much to the world and still not be seen? We’ve played a major role in the history of this nation so it would only be right for us to be recognized for it, but we aren’t. Instead, our contributions are largely erased or stolen and we’re rendered invisible.
The masks show the true spirit of African Americans at times and hide that spirit at other times. This type of duality creates a lot of complexities for us as humans. Therefore, my goal as an artist is to uplift African Americans and to reconnect us with our African spirit, the one thing that society can never take from us, no matter how often it refuses to see us because that spirit lives deep within us and is what we’ve inherited from our ancestors. My work examines this reality and reminds us to continue seeing ourselves and one another for who we truly are. Peace.