Glimmers

Glimmers is a solo exhibition by emerging visual artist Jonnique Beadle that centres on memory, ephemerality, and joy. Coined by Deb Dana, a clinical social worker, glimmers are “micro-moments of regulation that foster feelings of well-being” and revolve around sparks of joy and acts of remembering. For this exhibition, Beadle turns to her family’s archive and presents images of her childhood in mixed-media collages. Two years after the passing of her father, John Beadle (1964 – 2024), she uses her memories as a vehicle towards these glimmers, rendering her recollections onto canvas.

She mentions that memories of birthday parties, family gatherings, and other intimate familial scenes do not appear clearly in her mind, but she uses collage to reconcile with memory’s disorganised, fragmented nature. The glimpses of scenes in her mind are supported by the images from her archives, creating an alternative, transient realm. Leaning into this fragmentation, the glimmers appear through image transfers, symbols, rhinestones, and fabric, all collated to create compositions of vulnerability. While Beadle’s practice often centres on material and cultural nuance, Glimmers provides an entryway into the delicate balance and coexistence of grief and joy that comes with memory and loss.

Jonnique Beadle (b. 1998, Nassau, The Bahamas) is a visual artist working primarily in painting, printmaking, and textile-based sculpture. She draws inspiration from cultural nuances and personal experiences, portraying women as reflections of her own journey. Jonnique holds degrees in art from the University of The Bahamas and fashion product development from Columbia College Chicago.