Jessica Rankin facts for kids

Jessica Rankin is an artist from Australia. She was born in Sydney in 1971. Today, she lives and works in New York City. Jessica's art has been shown in many places. These include art galleries in the US, Europe, and Australia. Some famous places where her work has been seen are White Cube in London and MoMA PS1 in New York. Jessica Rankin is most famous for her special art. She creates pictures by embroidering on a fabric called organdy. She also makes art using other materials.

About Jessica Rankin's Life

Jessica Rankin comes from a family of artists and writers. Her father, David Rankin, is also an artist. Her mother, Jennifer Rankin, was a poet and a writer for plays. Jessica's step-mother, Lily Brett, is also a writer and poet. Jessica Rankin shares her art studio with another artist.

Jessica Rankin's Artworks

Jessica Rankin's art often uses embroidery and needlework. She stitches her designs onto a thin, see-through fabric called organdy. These special "embroidered paintings" look like "mental maps." They use secret codes, signs, and symbols. These symbols help her explore ideas about memory, feelings, and how we understand things.

Some of her well-known embroidered artworks include Nocturne (2004) and Hour to Hour (2007). Another piece is Everything is Still There (2005). In Passage (Dusty Humming) (2007), she tried something new. This artwork focused only on words stitched into the fabric, without any pictures.

Rankin also creates drawings and watercolors. These artworks often show how she plans her bigger embroidered pieces. Some drawings feature shapes that look like living things. Others show abstract ideas of stars or moon cycles. She also draws real places and scenes.

In 2007, Jessica Rankin had her first big show in Europe. It was at White Cube in London. This show displayed 88 of her drawings and watercolors. It helped people see another important part of her art. Some key drawings include Cloud & Sun (2003) and San Miguel (2005). Other notable works are Word Construction (2005), Leaves (2006), Rockface (2006), and Couple (2006).

Art Shows by Jessica Rankin

Jessica Rankin has had many solo art shows. Here are some of them:

• 2007 White Cube, London
• 2006 The Measure of Every Pause, P.S. 1 Contemporary Arts Center, Long Island City, NY
• 2005 Franklin Artworks, Minneapolis, MN
• 2004 The Project, New York, NY
• 1999 First Floor Gallery, Melbourne, Australia