Suzanne Jackson

There is Something Between Us

Suzanne Jackson created this painting following the birth of her son, whom she tragically lost at a young age. As a new mother, she reflected on the bonds between the many generations of her family, and the strength sustained through that kinship. In the womb of the figure on the right—a self-portrait of the artist herself—are the faces of Jackson’s ancestors and decedents. On the left, one hand reaches downward, like
the roots of a tree, while another ghostly hand reaches upwards. These designs situate Jackson as a spiritual link between the future and past of her family and a point of connection between the living and the deceased. There is Something Between Us fits into her lifelong inquiry of “between-ness,” and the relationships which connect her to her loved ones.