Jim Hodges has been at the forefront of conceptual art around the world for nearly three decades, known for work that makes a statement about social justice or equality, sometimes in big ways.
In one of his most famous installations is a set of massive sculptural boulders that he created by adhering stainless steel skins to the surface o 400-million-year-old stones. In another, he invited members of the United Nations to hand-write the phrase “don’t be afraid” in their native languages on a large piece of vinyl.
One of his earlier pieces is called "Latin Rose," constructed in 1989, which depicts an image of a rose that’s made out of tar paper and scotch tape.
"Latin Rose" was what he describes as a turning point early in his career. It’s an example of how he often uses familiar materials — whether it’s tar paper and scotch tape or metal jewelry chains or paper napkins — to transform the ordinary into something really powerful.
Jim Hodges is speaking at the Phoenix Art Museum on April 24 as the inaugural speaker at the museum's annual Lenhardt Lecture, a component of the David and Dawn Lenhardt Contemporary Art Initiative.
