About Jessi Reaves
Born 1986. Jessi Reaves is an American artist and sculptor.
Jessi Reaves (born 1986, Portland) is an artist based in New York. Known for her multifaceted sculptural practice which blurs the lines between the functional and the aesthetic, she has been the subject of solo exhibitions at institutions including the Arts Club of Chicago; the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston; the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh; and the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, CT. Her work is in the collections of the Brandhorst Museum, Munich; the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; and the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh; among others. She has been artist in residence at Fallingwater and Chinati Foundation.
Biography Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, Jessi Reaves studied painting at the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating with a BFA degree in 2010.
She presented her first solo exhibition at Bridget Donahue, New York in April 2016. In 2017, she participated in the Whitney Biennial. âRejecting the sleek craftsmanship of iconic midcentury design, Reaves exaggerates markers of construction to an almost aggressive abundance,â note co-curators Christopher Y. Lew and Mia Locks. In 2018, Reaves participated in the 57th Carnegie International at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburg, PA. Also in 2018, John Galliano invited Reaves to create raw, deconstructed sculptures for Maison Margiela's SS18 couture runway collection. Reaves was appointed Fall 2020 Teiger Mentor in the Arts at Cornell University - AAP program.
Exhibitions Selected solo exhibitions 2024 Reflect as One, Galerie CrĂšvecoeur 5 & 7 rue de Beaune, Paris, France, April 25 - July 20 2023 Above the cold, San Carlo Cremona, Cremona, Italy, October 6 - December 31 All possessive lusts dispelled, The Arts Club of Chicago, February 15 - May 20 2022 At the well, Bridget Donahue, New York, New York, September 15 - November 17 Jessi Reaves & Bradley Kronz: The Label Lied (two person exhibition), High Art, Arles, France, February 26 - April 16 2021 Wild Life: Elizabeth Murray & Jessi Reaves (two person exhibition), Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, September 4 - January 9, 2022 Wild Life: Elizabeth Murray & Jessi Reaves (two person exhibition), Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Houston, Texas 2019 Going out in style, Herald Street, London, United Kingdom, November 14 - January 25, 2019 II, Bridget Donahue, New York, New York, March 14 - May 12 2018 Kitchen Arrangement within The Domestic Plane: New Perspectives on Tabletop Art Objects, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield,CT, May 20 - January 13, 2019 2017 android stroll, Herald St, London, United Kingdom, September 30 - November 12 31 Candles Jessi Reaves featuring Bradley Kronz & Jessi Reaves (Waiting for Boots), Dorich House Museum, Kingston University, London, United Kingdom, September 7 - November 4 Ginny Casey and Jessi Reaves (two person exhibition), Institute of *Contemporary Art Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, April 28 - August 6 2016 Jessi Reaves, Bridget Donahue, New York, New York, April 10 - June 5 Now Showing: Jessi Reaves, Sculpture Center, Long Island City, New York, January 24 - April 4
Selected group exhibitions SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2024 CafĂ© CrĂšvecoeur, Galerie CrĂšvecoeur, Montesquiou, July 5 - July 31 These Mad Hybrids: John Hoyland and Contemporary Sculpture, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol, UK, February 3 - May 12 SHINE ON, Sadie Coles HQ, London, United Kingdom, February 15 - April 27 The New Village: Ten Years of New York Fashion, Pratt Manhattan Gallery, New York, January 22 - March 16 2023 Home is Where Youâre Happy, Haus Mödrath - RĂ€ume FĂŒr Kunst, Kerpen, Germany, October 8 - August 25, 2024 Solstice, Galerie Crevecoeur, Paris, France, November 11, 2023 - January 27, 2024 darling, your headâs not right, curated by Danica Lundy, François Ghebaly, New York, New York, July 5 - September 15 Customs Cars Cultures, curated by Kyle Thurman, UncleBrother, Hancock, New York, July 1 - September 4 Ecstatic: Selections from the Hammer Contemporary Collection, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, California, June 10 - August 27 A Study in Form, curated by Arden Wohl, James Fuentes, New York, New York, May 3 - June 3 At Gate, Blue Velvet Projects, Zurich, Switzerland, March 11 - April 8 From Andy Warhol to Kara Walker. Scenes from the Collection, Brandhorst Museum, Munich, Germany, February 28 - July 14, 2024 2022 The odds are good, the goods are odd, Lisson Gallery, New York, New York , June 29 - August 6 Catechism, Bridget Donahue, New York, New York, June 8 - July 29 2021 DOG, Company, New York, New York, June 4 - July 10 Finding Our Way, Lumber Room, Portland, Oregon, March 14 - May 3 2020 Via dellâInferno, Herald St at Galleria Spazia, Bologna, Italy Akeem Smith: No Gyal Can Test, Red Bull Arts New York, New York, September 24 - November 15 2019 Slant Step Forward, Verge Center for the Arts, Sacramento, California, September 12 - October 27 Il est une fois dans lâOuest, Frac Nouvelle-Aquitaine MĂCA, Bordeaux, France, June 29 - November 9 Perverse Furniture, Artspace, New Haven, Connecticut, May 19 - June 29 2018 Carnegie International, 57th Edition, Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, October 13 - March 25, 2019 Eckhaus Latta: Possessed, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, New York, August 3 - October 8 SI ONSITE, Swiss Institute, New York, New York, semi-permanent installation, beginning The Phantom of Liberty: Contemporary Works in the RISD Museum Collection, RISD Museum, Providence, Rhode Island, May 4 - December 30 99 BOWERY 2ND FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10002 USA BRIDGETDONAHUE.NYC Sit-In, September Gallery, Hudson, New York, April 7 - May 20 Loopstar Future Feel Good: Jessi Reaves, Mother Culture, Los Angeles, California, March 2 - April 30 2017 Interiors, Galerie Maria Bernheim, Zurich, Switzerland, November 1 - February 23, 2018 Steps to Aeration, Tanya Leighton, Berlin, Germany, July 8 - September 1 Midtown, Lever House, organized by Maccarone and Salon 94, New York, New York, May 3 - June 9 Liminal Focus, Barbara Mathes Gallery, New York, New York, April 26 - June 30 Whitney Biennial 2017, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, New York, March 17 -June 11 Ruins in the Snow, High Art, Paris, France, February 22 - April 1 Looking Back/ The 11th White Columns Annual, White Columns, New York, January 14 - March 4 2016 A Cautionary Tale: Jessi Reaves and Bradley Kronz, A Palazzo Gallery, Brescia, Italy, December 15 - January 25, 2017 Dolores, Team Gallery, New York, New York, September 8 - October 9 Outside, Karma, Amagansett, New York, September 3â25 Gallery Share, Off Vendome, New York, New York, May 5 Bloody Life, Herald Street, London, England, April 24 - May 29 Design & Crime, Ăric Hussenot, Paris, France, April 23 - June 4 Real Fine Arts Presents, New York, 809 Washington Street, New York, New York, March 2â6 Jessi Reaves & Sophie Stone: How to Remove Stains, Del Vaz Projects, Los Angeles, California, January 15 - April 15 2015 Natural Flavor, Ludlow 38, New York, New York, November 12 - December 13 Swiss Institute Annual Architecture and Design Series: Second Edition, âPavillon De LâEsprit Nouveau: A 21st Century Show Homeâ, curated by Felix Burrichter, New York, New York, September 25 - November 8 Summer Group Show, Germantown, New York, curated by Matt Moravec and Taylor Trabulus, August 29â30 Panic Pants, Essex Flowers, New York, New York, June 28 - August 2 Living Rooms, Old Room Gallery, New York, New York, curated by Josh Kline, February 7 - March 7 Paramount Ranch, Shoot the Lobster Gallery, Los Angeles, California, January 31 - February 1 Das Gesamtsexwerk, M/L Art Space, Brooklyn, New York, January 17 2014 Seau Banco Carbon, Bed Stuy Love Affair Gallery, New York, New York, December 22 - January 2 La Casa del Cazu Merzu, Shoot the Lobster Gallery, New York, New York, September 19 - October 19 American Basketry, Bed Stuy Love Affair, New York, New York, August 15 - September 6 My Old Friend, My New Friend, My Girlfriend, My Cousin and My Mentor, Shoot the Lobster Gallery, New York, New York, curated by JPW3, May 29 - June 29
Selected press 2024 RĂ©mi Guezodje, âJessi Reaves, de lâinattention Ă lâinattenduâ, LibĂ©ration (July 10), âJessi Reaves: Reflect as oneâ, The Art Newspaper, Edition Française, (May), https://www.artnewspaper.fr/2024/05/17/gestes-simples-art-tantrique-et-rencontres-improbables Aarthi Mohan, âIn search of the sublime: The multifaceted artistry of Jessi Reavesâ, STIRpad (June 7), https://www.stirpad.com/news/stir-news/in-search-of-the-sublime-the-multifaceted-artistry-of-jessi-reaves/? utm_source=search_bar&utm_medium=stirpad_search. Ada OâHiggins, âA Stitch in Timeâ, Artforum, online and in print May 2024, pp. 11â12 https://www.artforum.com/columns/ada-ohiggins-the-new-village-552341/ 2023 Anna Frattini, âJessi Reaves Continues to Challenge the Boundary Between Art and Designâ, Collater.al (October 18), https://www.collater.al/en/jessi-reaves-above-the-cold-san-carlo-cremona-art-design/ Lori Waxman, âTo sit or not to sit: Jessi Reaves shows her furniture sculptures in âAll possessive lusts dispelledâ at the Arts Clubâ, Chicago Tribune (April 29), https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/museums/ct-ent-jessi-reaves-arts-club-review-20230430 Vasia Rigou, âDecadent Design: A Review of Jessi Reavesâ âAll possessive lusts dispelledâ at the Arts Club of Chicagoâ, New City Art (February 27), https://art.newcity.com/2023/02/27/decadent-design-takes-center-stage-a-review-of-jessi-reaves-all-possessive-lusts dispelled-at-the-arts-club-of-chicago/ 2022 Em Rooney, "The Artistsâ Artists: Twenty-six artists reflect on 2022" Artforum, (December), https://www.artforum.com/print/202210/twenty-six-artists-reflect-on-2022-89662 Brainard Carey, "Jessi Reaves Interview", Yale University Radio (November 15), https://museumofnonvisibleart.com/interviews/jessi-reaves/ Cassie Packard, "Review: Jessi Reaves", Artforum, November, 2022, p. 188-189 C. Reinhardt, âNew York â Jessi Reaves: âAt the wellâ at Bridget Donahue Through November 19â, Art Observed (October), http://artobserved.com/2022/10/new-york-jessi-reaves-at-the-well-at-bridget-donahue-through-november-19th-2022/ Johanna Fateman, "Jessi Reaves", The New Yorker (October 15), https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/art/jessi-reaves-2022 2021 Octavia BĂŒrgel, "Jessi Reaves Leaves it dirty", 032 (June 17) https://032c.com/jessi-reaves-leaves-it-dirty 99 BOWERY 2ND FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10002 USA BRIDGETDONAHUE.NYC 2020 Yxta Maya Murray, âArtful Volumes: Bookforum Contributors on the Seasonâs Outstanding Art Books: Wildlife: Elizabeth Murray and Jessi Reavesâ, Bookforum (December), https://www.bookforum.com/print/2704/the-season-s-outstanding-art-books-24278 Jessi Reaves, Gaetano Pesce, "It's Alive! The Amorphous Imaginary of Gaetano Pesce", SSENSE (March 4), https://www.ssense.com/en-us/editorial/art/its-alive-the-amorphous-imaginary-of-gaetano-pesce Rachel Hahn, âLou Dallas Celebrated Valentineâs Day by Bringing Fragonardâs Most Famous Painting to Lifeâ, Vogue (February 19), https://www.vogue.com/vogueworld/article/lou-dallas-raffaella-hanley-valentines-day-decor-band-jessi-reaves-live-sculpture-public-arts 2019 Leah Singer, Jessi Reaves, Apartamento Issue #24 (Fall/Winter) 169-183 Chris Wiley, âThe Beguiling Work of Jessi Reavesâ, Frieze (June 1), https://frieze.com/article/beguiling-work-jessi-reaves âFreedom of Expressionâ, RISDXYZ (Spring/Summer), 13 Tiffany Lambert, âTrash Aestheticsâ Pin-Up (Spring/Summer), 250-255 Kathy Leonard Czepiel, âUnsettling Inâ, Daily Nutmeg (May 23), http://dailynutmeg.com/2019/05/23/perverse-furniture-artspace-unsettling-in/ Brian Slattery, âArtspace Gets Perverseâ, New Haven Independent (May 22), https://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/artspace_perverse_furniture/ Eliza Barry, "Jessi Reaves: IIâ, Brooklyn Rail (May), https://brooklynrail.org/2019/05/artseen/Jessi-Reaves-II Meredith Mendelsohn, "Jessi Reavesâ, Sculpture Magazine (April 29), https://sculpturemagazine.art/jessi-reaves/ Holland Cotter, âOver 40 Art Shows to See Right Now - Spring Gallery Guide: Below and Above Canal Streetâ, The New York Times (April 26), https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/26/arts/design/gallery-guide-canal-street.html Keshav Anand, âJessi Reaves: Bringing Eccentricity To The Domesticâ, Something Curated (April 24) âReavesâ Wondrous Wreckageâ Our RISD (April 16) Alina Cohen, â5 Standout New York Exhibitions to See This Aprilâ, Artsy (April 5) â8 New York Art Exhibitions Not To Miss This April: Jessi Reaves IIâ, Something Curated (April 3) Johanna Fateman, âJessi Reavesâ, The New Yorker (March 28) Antonia Marsh, âAntonia Marsh: The Absurdist Sculpture of Jessi Reavesâ, AnOther Magazine (March 27) âWorks By Park McArthur, Alex Da Corte, Huma Bhaba, and More Enter Carnegie Museum of Art Collectionâ, Artforum (March 26) â9 Art Events in New York: Jessi Reaves, Gary Indiana, BarthĂ©lĂ©my Toguo, and Moreâ, ARTnews (March 11), http://www.artnews.com/2019/03/11/9-art-events-nyc-jessi-reaves-gary-indiana-barthelemy-toguo/ Scott Turri, âSame Olâ Carnegieâ, New Art Examiner (January/February), volume 33 2018 Maria Savostyanova, âReavesâs Beadsâ, Interior+Design (October 1), 208 Alix Browne, âT Introduces Jessi Reavesâ, T Magazine - The New York Times (September 9), 47-48 Glenn Adamson, âSculpture To Dwell Onâ, Art in America (September), 71-77 Whitney Bauck, âIf Eckhaus Lattaâs Whitney Museum Exhibition Is A Scam, Itâs A Good Oneâ, Fashionista (August 8), https://fashionista.com/2018/08/eckhaus-latta-possessed-whitney-museum-exhibit Andrea Valluzzo, âAldrich to survey tabletop art in The Domestic Planeâ, Stratford Star (May 17), https://www.stratfordstar.com/80962/aldrich-to-survey-tabletop-art-in-the-domestic-plane/ Felix Burrichter, Jack Chiles, Marc Matchak, âMental Furnitureâ, Pin-Up (Spring/ Summer), Issue 24 Sarah Rafson, â57th Carnegie International will bring artists who engage spatial politics around the worldâ, Architects Newspaper (April 23), https://archpaper.com/2018/04/57th-carnegie-international-pittsburgh/#gallery-0-slide-0 Amy Serafin, âOttoman Empireâ, Wallpaper (May), 147-153 Alex Greenberger, âHereâs the Artist List for the 2018 Carnegie Internationalâ, ArtNews (April 11), http://www.artnews.com/2018/04/11/heres-artist-list-2018-carnegie-international/ Kieron Marchese, âJohn Galliano Invites Sculptor Jessi Reaves to Create Raw, Deconstructed Pieces at Maison Margiela SS18â, Designboom (January 25), https://www.designboom.com/design/maison-margiela-ss18-john-galliano-jessi-reaves-01-25-2018/ Elizabeth Paton, âAt Maison Margiela, a Sculptor and a Designer Uniteâ, The New York Times (January 24), https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/01/24/fashion/maison-margiela-john-galliano-jessi-reaves.html?referer= 2017 Silvia Sgualdini, âJessi Reaves and Bradley Kronz Dorich House Museum/ Londonâ, Flash Art, no. 50 (November 27) Josephine Graf, âNicola L.âFrieze (October 23) Eliza Barry, âA Chair Is A Chair Is A Sculpture: On Jessi Reaves and the Decorative Unconsciousâ, Columbia University (May 24) Roberta Smith, âThe Metâs Rei Kawakubo Show, Dressed for Defianceâ, The New York Times (May 4) Ruba Katrib, âA Cautionary Tale by Bradley Kronz and Jessi Reavesâ, Document, No. 10 (Spring/ Summer), 220 - 227 Johanna Fateman, âRights and Privileges: Johanna Fateman on the 2017 Whitney Biennialâ, Artforum (May), 296-302 Cat Kron, âGinny Casey and Jessi Reavesâ, Artforum (May) Gesine Borcherdt, âForm Versus Functionâ, Blau, No. 17 (March), featured on cover, 48-53 Chris Sharp and Genevieve Yu, âDouble Take - Whitney Biennialâ, Art Agenda (March 21), http://www.art-agenda.com/reviews/double-take%E2%80%94whitney-biennial-2017/ Evan Moffitt, âWaste Landâ, Frieze (March 19) Novembre Magazine, Issue 11 (March 1), spread featuring sculpture by Jessi Reaves, fashion by Lou Dallas, 254-258 Michele DâAurizio, âJessi Reaves and Bradley Kronzâ, Flash Art, No. 331 (February/ March) Roberta Smith, âWhat to See in New York Art Galleries This Week: Looking Back: The 11th White Columns Annualâ, The New York Times (February 24) 99 BOWERY 2ND FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10002 USA BRIDGETDONAHUE.NYC Geneva Bria, âThe Warning of Jessi Reaves and Bradley Kronz: Bresciaâ, Artribune (January 16) 2016 Natasha Stagg, âCurve Appealâ, Pin-Up Magazine, Issue 21 (Fall/Winter 2016/2017), 73 Robin Pogrebin, âHere Comes the Whitney Biennial, Reflecting the Tumult of the Timesâ, The New York Times (November 17) Gaetano Pesce and Jessi Reaves, edited by Marco Braunschweiler, âIntroducing: Conversations Between Two Artists Who Have Never Met Beforeâ, Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles: Stream (November 11), http://www.moca.org/stream/post/introducing-gaetano-pesce-and-jessi-reaves Eric Sutphin, âJessi Reavesâ, Art in America (September), p. 144 âJessi Reaves at Bridget Donahueâ, Contemporary Art Writing Daily (June 8), http://www.artwritingdaily.com/2016/06/jessi-reaves-at-bridget-donahue.html?m=1 Christie Chu, â10 Millennial Artists to Watch in 2016: Jessi Reavesâ, Artnet News (June 6), https://news.artnet.com/art-world/10-millennial-artists-watch-2016-511961 Kavior Moon, âJessi Reaves and Sophie Stoneâ, Artforum (Summer), 405 David Ebony, âDavid Ebonyâs Top 10 New York Gallery Shows for Mayâ, Artnet News (May 25) Claire Voon, âThe Visual Indulgences of Furniture Made From Scrapsâ, Hyperallergic (May 18) D. Creahan, âNew York - Jessi Reaves at Bridget Donahue Through June 5th, 2016â, Art Observed (May 14) Leigh Anne Miller, âLookout: Jessi Reavesâ, Art in America (April 29) âJessi Reavesâ, The New Yorker (April 27) Sam Korman, âJessi Reavesâ, Flash Art (April 26), Issue 307 Roberta Smith, âLower East Side As Petri Dishâ, The New York Times (April 22), C29 Katherine Cusumano, âDomestic Ills: Sculptor Jessi Reaves Elevates Furniture By Making It Weirderâ, W Magazine (April 21) John Zane Zappas, âJessi Reaves & Sophie Stone at Del Vaz Projectsâ, Contemporary Art Review Los Angeles (April 14), http://contemporaryartreview.la/jessi-reaves-sophie-stoneat-del-vaz-projects/ Eckhaus Latta, âSightlinesâ, Art in America (April), 37 Jessi Reaves, âBiopic: The story behind an artwork, in the artistâs own wordsâ, Modern Painters (April), 47 Josephine Graf, âAn Ideological Revision of Furniture Design: Josephine Graf in Conversation with Jessi Reavesâ, Mousse Magazine, (February 17), 230 - 237 2015 Julia Trotta, âScrap Queenâ, Pin-Up Magazine, Issue 19 (Fall/Winter 2015/2016), 52 - 53 Carson Chan, âThe Great Indoors: Show Homeâ, Pin-Up Magazine, Issue 19 (Fall/Winter 2015/2016), 209 - 225 Kate Messinger, â6 Contemporary Female Sculptors to Know (Plus Pieces You Can Afford)â, Man Repeller (November 12), http://www.manrepeller.com/best_of_internet/6-contemporary-female-sculptors-to-know.html Lyndsy Welgos, âSummer Group Showâ, Topical Cream (September 17), http://topicalcream.info/blog/summer-group-show/ âFeatured Artist: Jessi Reavesâ, SculptureNotebook, (August 25â29) http://www.sculpture-center.org/exhibitionsCuratorsNotebook.htm âJessi Reavesâ, interview with Bridget Donahue, Foundations, No. 3 (Fall/Winter), 26 - 33
Awards 2017 Special Mention, Hublot Design Prize, Switzerland 2020 Teiger Mentor in the Arts at Cornell University
Permanent collections Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Frac Nouvelle-Aquitaine MĂCA, Bordeaux, France Museum Brandhorst, Munich, Germany RISD Museum of Art, Providence, Rhode Island Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, New York
Selected publications 2021 Wild Life: Elizabeth Murray & Jessi Reaves, ed. Karen Kelly, Rebecca Matalon, Barbara Schroeder, Text by Rebecca Matalon, Conversation by Kate Horsfield & Elizabeth Murray, Johanna Fateman & Jessi Reaves, Dancing Foxes Press/CAMH 2019 Slant Step Book: The Mysterious Object and the Artworks It Inspired, eds. Francesca Wilmott, Verge Center for the Arts, Sacramento, 62-63. 2018 Ginny Casey & Jessi Reaves, Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia 2017 Jessi Reaves and Alex Field, âAdvice and Wisdom Gained From Fashionâs Brightest Thinkersâ, A Magazine Curated By Eckhaus Latta (September), issue #17, 180-183
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Important facts
People in Jessi Reaves's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Jessi Reaves's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Jessi Reaves?
artist working in multimedia sculpture (born 1986)
When was Jessi Reaves born?
Jessi Reaves was born on 2 February 1986 in Portland.
What is Jessi Reaves's occupation?
Jessi Reaves is an artist and sculptor.
What nationality is Jessi Reaves?
Jessi Reaves is American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jessi Reaves. https://biography.guide/jessi-reaves/
MLA: "Jessi Reaves." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jessi-reaves/.
Chicago: "Jessi Reaves." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jessi-reaves/.
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