February through March, the Drake Gallery will be home to the work of local artist Jacob Docksey. Docksey is a fiscal year 2025 recipient of a Creative Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board.
Docksey’s painting style draws from his experience in the spaces he is portraying; more often than not he is inhabiting these spaces as he is portraying them. Docksey is a plein air painter, meaning he doesn’t paint in a studio or controlled space, but rather outdoors on location to directly portray changes to atmospheric conditions, light quality, and color that might be occurring in real time. He works not only as a painter, but as an explorer.
With an understanding of Docksey’s style, this exhibition in particular is an incredible feat. Docksey has documented both natural and manmade caves throughout the Twin Cities in his art pieces, giving an artistic representation of his passion for urban exploration. His work depicts abandoned work sites, as well as natural caves, but all of his pieces have a sense of being inhabited.
The artist statements that accompany his work are equally as impactful. In the statements, Docksey recounts his experiences in urban exploring, notably his multiple visits to a rather well known exploring destination, Echo cave. He explains the expanse of explorers whom the cave draws; over the course of one visit, he saw families with children, an 84 year old who wanted to cross it off of his bucket list, and a group choir that was testing out the space’s natural acoustics.
Viewing Docksey’s work is a bit like witnessing an old myth or legend with hints of modernity: Looming shadowy explorers traverse through black and white caves with headlamps and bulky packs; a bright red shopping cart sits unused next to chipping, electric blue elevator doors. Docksey gives us sweeping, dramatic tableaus that, once you read more about them, you can’t help but realize they exist right here in the Twin Cities.
Docksey’s painting style is lived in. He has captured a sense of decay that does not feel gruesome, rather, realistic. Spaces that have been abandoned often take on a dull twinge – Docksey captures both this and their original glory.
