Jackies 1964

Billy Name’s images of ‘Jackies’ are rendered in shades of sepia and charcoal. The surface has a tactile quality, giving the impression that they were created with layers of thin washes, perhaps screen-printed. I imagine Name, caught in a moment of creative outpouring, surrounded by these multiple impressions of Jackie Kennedy. Look at the ways the ink bleeds and pools, creating soft edges and unexpected textures, like Rorschach blots. It’s as if each Jackie has her own unique emotional atmosphere, even while sharing the same source image. The image of Jackie suggests an interest in fame, repetition, and the poignant tension between public image and private emotion. Name’s work, like that of other artists such as Andy Warhol, taps into our collective fascination with celebrity and the power of the photographic image. These 'Jackies' offer a window into the artist’s world, where art and life become intertwined through the act of creation.