Samuel Levi Jones facts for kids

Samuel Levi Jones (born 1978) is an American artist famous for his unique paintings and artworks. He creates powerful pieces that explore African-American history and identity.

Instead of just using paint on a canvas, Jones often uses old, historical materials. He takes apart old encyclopedias and law books to use their covers as his main material. By doing this, he questions the information in these books and gives them a new story.

Early Life and Education

Samuel Levi Jones was born in 1978 in Marion, Indiana. His family has a deep connection to American history. A very sad and unjust event happened to one of his relatives, Abraham S. Smith, in 1930. This family history is a powerful inspiration for his art, which often deals with themes of justice and memory.

Jones was very dedicated to his education. He studied at three different schools to develop his skills:

• Taylor University, where he earned a degree in communications.
• Herron School of Art and Design, where he studied photography.
• Mills College, where he received a Master of Fine Arts degree in 2012.

Art and Career

Jones's art is known for being abstract, which means it doesn't try to show things exactly as they look in real life. Instead, it focuses on colors, shapes, and textures to express ideas and feelings. He is well-known for his "assemblage art," where he puts together different objects, like book covers, to create a new piece of art.

Major Exhibitions

An artist's career is often highlighted by their exhibitions, which are special shows where the public can see their work. Jones has had several important solo exhibitions, where the entire show was dedicated to his art.

One of his first major solo shows was Samuel Levi Jones: Left of Center in 2019 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. He has also shown his work in exhibitions like The Empire is Falling in Ohio and Unbound at the famous Studio Museum in Harlem, New York.

Where to See His Art

Today, the work of Samuel Levi Jones is so important that it is part of the collections of major museums across the United States. This means the museums own his art and display it for everyone to see.

You can find his art in famous places like:

• San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
• Whitney Museum of American Art in New York
• Rubell Museum in Miami
• Studio Museum in Harlem in New York
• Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
• Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)

See also

• List of African-American visual artists
• Paulson Fontaine Press