SAVANNAH — Artist Jennifer Jenkins will present a collection of new prints, drawings, installations and fiber pieces in “Odd Bodies,” an exhibition at Gallery S.P.A.C.E. April 10-May 8. An artist reception will be held April 10 from 6-8 p.m.   

Jenkins’ works are achieved through process and experimentation, with textural depth created through repeated forms, abstracted drawings, layered stitching, cutting and collaging, as she constructs and deconstructs her pieces to allow for a multitude of answers to a single question.

“My current body of work has emerged from a study of the odd bodied forms created by domesticated animals,” Jenkins said. “I began exploring these forms through abstracted prints, which I call ‘Lay Forms.’  I find these forms to be beautifully sad, playful, familiar and alien. To me, they are a kind of universal animal — part human — part other.”

The exhibition, while texturally and aesthetically intriguing, sparks a dialog about the ease by which humans utilize animals to fulfill various aspects of life without deeper consideration of the animals themselves.

“The show makes a statement about the use of animals for decorative and ornamental purposes,” Jenkins explained.  “Viewers may find some of the work discomforting, but these works are getting closer to what is important to me.  They reveal personal subject matter in a way that is easier for the viewer to enter into. I am interested in viewer feedback.”

Jenkins received a bachelors of science from Pennsylvania State University and began her career in the biotech industry in Madison, Wis. She later relocated to Savannah, where she received her M.F.A. in fibers from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

She operates her own traditional quilting company, “Double J Designs,” and is an adjunct professor in the printmaking and foundations departments at the Savannah College of Art and Design. For information, visit www.jenniferjenkins.org or www.doublejdesigns.net.

The exhibition and opening reception are free and open to the public. Reception entertainment will be provided by Markus Kuhlmann and Eric Dunn of the Train Wrecks.  

S.P.A.C.E. is located at 9 W. Henry St.  Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free off-street parking is available.

S.P.A.C.E. is Savannah’s Place for Art, Culture and Education. Located at 9 W. Henry St., S.P.A.C.E. houses the offices of the City of Savannah’s Department of Cultural Affairs as well as a public gallery, a 100-seat black box theatre and art and ceramics studios.  

For information, contact (912) 651-6783 or visit www.savannahga.gov/arts.