Jacquo Pierre ’24 is a four-year Senior from Brooklyn, NY. Pierre is an all-school president, co-captain of Varsity Football, co-founder and head of Food is Fuel, head of WKIS, a proctor, and the Senior Advisor to the Rugby Club. Pierre has taken visual art for four years and is currently enrolled in Honors Advanced Studio Art Portfolio I.
How did you discover your passion art?
There are many artists in my family. When you enter my house, artwork produced by my relatives hangs from almost every wall. My parents and my brother are very talented artists, and growing up around people with a deeply rooted appreciation for art inspired me to explore my creative side.
Another artistic influence in my life was my third-grade teacher. She inspired me by letting me explore art mediums outside of traditional painting or drawing, which helped me create one of my first cardboard sculptures—of a DJ turntable.
What are some of your favorite pieces that you have made?
For the 2023 Troutbeck Symposium exhibit, I made a cardboard recreation of an Adidas Superstar with gold chains. The piece was a culmination of my research on Dapper Dan, an African-American entrepreneur and designer who lived during the Harlem Renaissance.
I also made a cardboard bust of a police officer representing police brutality. This project was the most conceptually driven cardboard piece I had ever made. Most of my art is connected to the history of Black individuals.
I also enjoyed creating the mural in the Multicultural Center with Phil Ghi, the school’s sign painter, who often works in the Tremaine Gallery. We put in many hours over a long weekend to finish the piece, and it was such a pleasure to work with him. Not only does the artwork itself create a safe space for people of color in the MCC, but the experience of making it with Mr. Ghi was extremely impactful for me.
What advice would you give to aspiring artists?
Record everything in your sketchbook. All the small drawings that you might think are unimportant will help you later as you look for inspiration or reflect on how you have grown as an artist.
Take pictures along the way, so you can mark your progress. Art is a process, and you cannot improve without recording your work.
Make art that reflects your passions and interests and that inspires others too.
Tell the story that has not been told. Use art as a way to help yourself and those around you to understand more about your identity.
