Jacolby Satterwhite facts for kids

Jacolby Satterwhite (born 1986) is an American artist. He creates amazing art that combines videos, digital designs, and sculptures. His art often makes you feel like you are stepping into a new world. Jacolby's work has been shown in many famous museums. These include the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.

Early Life and Education

Jacolby Satterwhite was born in 1986 in Columbia, South Carolina. His mother, Patricia Satterwhite, was an artist who taught herself. She drew many creative things. As a child, Jacolby loved watching music videos. Artists like Janet Jackson, Björk, and Michael Jackson inspired him.

He started using technology when he was 11 years old. He had many video game consoles like Sega Genesis and Sony PlayStation. These early experiences with technology helped shape his art. Jacolby also attended a special art school in South Carolina.

He studied art at the Maryland Institute College of Art. He earned his first degree there in 2008. Later, he received a master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 2010.

Artistic Career and Style

Jacolby Satterwhite's art often uses his mother's drawings. His mother created many detailed drawings of everyday objects. These drawings were influenced by many things. They included fashion, science, and even dreams. Patricia Satterwhite was a very creative artist. She passed away in 2016.

Jacolby uses these drawings in his digital art and videos. He combines them with 3D animation and live performances. This creates unique and imaginative worlds. His work explores ideas about memory and personal history.

He has shown his art in many group exhibitions. These include shows at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian Institution. In 2016, he received a special award for artists.

Jacolby also worked on a visual album for the singer Solange in 2019. He helped direct a music video for her song "Sound of Rain." He also directed a short film for the musician Perfume Genius in 2022.

In 2023, Jacolby Satterwhite's art was featured at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His project, "A Metta Prayer," included video art and large projections. It was inspired by paintings at the museum. It also showed his interest in digital and performance art.

In 2025, the Pérez Art Museum Miami showed his 3D animation video. It was part of their digital arts event. His work was featured alongside other digital artists.

Exhibitions

Solo Art Shows

Jacolby Satterwhite has had many solo exhibitions. In 2012, he had a show in Provincetown, Massachusetts. In 2013, his exhibition "Island of Treasure" in Spain included his video series Reifying Desire. This series combined 3D animation with live action. It explored memories in a dream-like digital world. This work was also part of the 2014 Whitney Biennial.

In 2018, he had a solo show in New York. It featured a music video from his concept album, Blessed Avenue. This album used parts of songs his mother recorded.

His first solo museum exhibition was in 2019. It was at The Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia. The show was called "Jacolby Satterwhite: Room for Living." He said artists like Bruce Nauman and the video game Final Fantasy influenced this work. Parts of the exhibition, like a bathtub design, were based on his mother's ideas.

He opened another solo show in Brooklyn in October 2019. This show was based on an album that used his mother's old recordings. He worked with other musicians to turn her songs into pop music. He explained that he took his mother's simple home recordings and turned them into a 3D animated virtual reality experience.

Group Art Shows

Jacolby Satterwhite has also been part of many group exhibitions. In 2013, he showed art in "Matriarch's Rhapsody" in Minneapolis. He also had his first solo show in New York that year. It was called "The Matriarch's Rhapsody."

In 2014, his work was shown in "WPA Hothouse Video." The curator described his art as "visually spectacular" and "strange." It combined humor with deeper themes. His work Country Ball from this show is now in the Seattle Art Museum. He also had a show in Los Angeles called How Lovely Is Me Being As I Am. The title came from his mother's unique way of speaking.

His art was also featured in the 2014 Whitney Biennial. This is an important art exhibition.

From 2015 to 2016, Jacolby was part of a traveling exhibition. It was called Disguise: Masks and Global African Art. This show explored African masks and costumes. It looked at how masks can be used to talk about social issues. The exhibition included both old and new artworks. It featured videos, photos, and sculptures.

Awards and Recognition

Jacolby Satterwhite has received many awards for his art. These awards help artists create new work.

• 2016 United States Artists Fellowship
• 2013 Louis Comfort Tiffany Grant
• 2013 Arts Matters Grant
• 2013–2014 Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Workspace Artist-in-Residence
• 2012–2013 Fine Arts Work Center Fellowship
• 2011 Van Lier Grant
• 2011 Queer|Art|Mentorship Fellowship
• 2007 Grand Prize Winner for Driven exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution

Art Collections

Jacolby Satterwhite's art is part of many museum collections. This means his work is owned by these museums. People can see his art there.

• Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, Helsinki, Finland
• Museum of Modern Art, New York City, New York
• Studio Museum in Harlem, New York City, New York
• The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City, New York
• Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington
• San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, California