ANONYMOUS
April 23 – May 17, 2025
Jill Sarver Rossi, Vessel, oil on Claybord, 14 x 11 inches, 2019-2025
Reception: Thursday, April 24, 6–8pm
FIRST STREET GALLERY is pleased to announce Jill Sarver Rossi’s debut First Street solo exhibition, ANONYMOUS, opening on April 23rd and running through May 17th, with an Opening Reception on Thursday, April 24th, from 6 to 8pm. This exhibition showcases a collection of intimate and evocative monochromatic portrait paintings that derive from a single century-old photograph.
The subject of the portrait is used as a vehicle for expression and each channels different emotional responses, often reflecting the current events of today’s chaotic world. From personal tragedy and distant empathies to a social and political outcry, each painting embodies a degree of ambiguity or anonymity, allowing the viewer to bring their interpretation and response to the table.
Rossi’s journey into the art world began as early as age 5 and was cemented at 12 when she developed a love for ancient Egyptian and Roman art and archaeology. Choosing to pursue art over archaeology, she now incorporates both worlds into her art, as her work often investigates feminine presence derived from memory of ancient figures and artifacts. She uses shifts in tonality and light to explore the duality between solidity and air, linking present and past.
In 2021 she was recognized by Connecticut Magazine as one of “Five Emerging Connecticut Artists to Watch.” Her work is in numerous private collections throughout the U.S. and Europe.
To see more works by the artist: www.jillsarver.com
Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Saturday, 11 am to 6 pm
