Jersey City, NJ, August 15, 2024 – Jonathan LeVine Projects proudly presents an online exhibition titled, ENIGGERMA, by Mark Doox, commemorating the release of the artist’s graphic novel, The N-Word of God. The exhibition goes live on Thursday, August 15, 2024, and will run through Saturday, August 31, 2024, at www.jonathanlevineprojects.com.
An illuminated manuscript and fairytale-like gospel, The N-Word of God contains interconnected illustrated stories of social insight, cognitive surprise, wry mirth, and psycho-spiritual wonder. With satirical wit and stunning Byzantine icon-like illustrations, Doox has created a metamodern masterpiece of African-American storytelling and Black signifyin’ wisdom. The book is a prerequisite for further understanding the artist’s current gallery series of faux icons. The New York Times writes that his illustrated novel “…lands like a provocative punch in the chops”. Doox’s icon work has also been featured in several academic journals and The N-Word of God was the recipient of the 2024 Award for Excellence from the Society of Illustrators Museum of Cartoon and Comic Art. Notably, the book’s publisher, Fantagraphics, has recently submitted the novel for the PEN/Faulkner Award.
In his new body of work, Doox utilizes his signature “Byz Dada” style. This approach strategically merges traditional Byzantine iconography with a modernist, particularly Dadaist-oriented flair, updating the concept of “religious icons” as a blend of historical and contemporary image art. He fuses traditional methods, materials and iconography with modern artistic practices and themes, resulting in art that honors and draws from historical traditions while incorporating modern ideas and technologies. This approach blurs the lines between the sacred and profane, traditional and modern, highbrow and lowbrow art, enabling the artist to express his signifying preoccupations with identity, power, myth, and meaning. ENIGGERMA invites viewers to engage deeply with the content and encourages contemplation on the complexities of the human experience and societal constructs.
Mark Doox is an artist known for his distinctive style, “Byzantine Dadaism,” which combines elements of Byzantine iconography with Dadaist aesthetics. His work often explores complex themes such as identity, power, accommodation and myth. He was most recently featured in The New York Times, gaining acclaim for his graphic novel, The N-Word of God. Doox was a finalist in Jonathan LeVine Project’s annual Delusional art show + juried competition. Following this, he had a successful solo, online exhibition with the gallery in 2019. The artist’s work has also been shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions, as well as 3 permanent installations. He has participated in many special projects, including performances, talks and films. His work has been featured in many publications, including several scholarly journals.