Fig. 204–Gastro-duodenostomy (Kocher)

Jess Collins’s work has been described as “easy to be charmed by and less easy to look at.” Indeed, the artist used a some-what grisly illustration from a 1913 surgery textbook as the source image for this work. Fig. 204–Gastro-duodenostomy (Kocher) reflects Collins’s recurring interest in humanity’s vulnerability and mortality. Thick layers of paint and a fabric-wrapped frame create a vibrant yet impenetrable barrier that is both tactile and enigmatic. On the back, Collins handwrote an excerpt from artist and poet William Blake’s annotations to The Excursion: Being a Portion of the Recluse, by poet William Wordsworth. The tension between the dense, textured canvas and the hidden text invites viewers to look beyond the surface and consider what lies beneath.