Jenna Gribbon’s Neon Nipples at Lévy Gorvy Dayan

In her paintings, Brooklyn-based artist Jenna Gribbon captures her figures up-close and from unusual angles. Her works feel diaristic, akin to scenes found on social media platforms such as Instagram.

Co-represented by David Kordansky Gallery, Massimo De Carlo, and Lévy Gorvy Dayan (LGD), Gribbon continues to attract significant interest among collectors.

For her inaugural solo exhibition with LGD in New York, The Honeymoon Show! (9 November 2023–6 January 2024), Gribbon explores themes of intimacy, self-awareness, and subjecthood.

Using her wife, Mackenzie Scott, as a muse, Gribbon presents scenes from the couple’s honeymoon in Thailand and dramatic portraits of Scott at home.

Spotlight on nipple hair extraction (2023) is particularly intimate. The painting depicts Scott plucking a hair from her breast, entirely immersed in the moment, seemingly unaware of the artist, revealing her vulnerability.

Scott’s neon pink nipples elicit some discomfort as—outside of pornography—we typically try to avoid drawing attention to this part of our anatomy. This playful touch prompts us to reconsider our approach to consuming images of the body.

Speaking with Ocula Advisory in 2022, Gribbon said, ‘In a room where someone is viewing the painting, they can’t look at the painting without owning the act of looking. Everyone in the room can see that they’re looking at the painting, which is how I think it should be if you’re going to look at something—that you’re going to own your looking.’