The Axe and the Spade

T-Tower
Jonathan Bouknight

The Axe and the Spade @ Ruby Green Gallery
April 5- May 17
Gallery hours |
Wednesday-Saturday 12 pm-6 pm

Whitespace artist Jonathan Bouknight took part in the show,The Axe and the Spade, alongside Adam Davis and John Trobaugh at the Ruby Green Gallery in Nashville, Tennessee. The show opened on April 5th and will be showing until May 17th.

“Artists Jonathan Bouknight, Adam Davis, and John Trobaugh take different approaches towards an exploration of the disconnect between idealized masculinities and the reality of human nature. Through the appropriation of gender signifiers and the creation of alternate spaces, these artists attempt to reshape the cultural context in which they exist. The artworks are intended catalyst for a change in perception, imbued with the artists’ own yearning and discontent with waiting.

The title “The Axe & The Spade” originates from a test done to young children by some Native American Indian tribes to determine the role of the child in the tribe: as a male, female, or a third gender (often called a “Two-Spirit” or “Berdache”). The child was tested to see if they preferred the man’s tools, the bow and arrow, or the woman’s tools, the axe and the spade.”

-Ruby Green Gallery

The three of us put our heads together when preparing this show to put into words our common link, this is what we came up with: “[The artists take] different approaches towards an exploration of the disconnect between idealized masculinities and the reality of human nature. Through the appropriation of gender signifiers and the creation of alternate spaces, these artists attempt to reshape the cultural context in which they exist. The artworks are intended catalyst for a change in perception, imbued with the artists’ own yearning and discontent with waiting.”

-Jonathan Bouknight


Jonathan has graciously unveiled the process and the inner-workings of the show through his blog . I’m constantly inspired by his consistency in blogging the local art scene and taking part in welding together the art community in Atlanta (but not limited to). Check it out.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *