Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Doggett.
Hi Ashley, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always been interested in using art as a way to examine history, memory, and identity. After earning my BFA from Watkins College of Art in 2016, I developed a fine arts practice centered on painting, drawing, and printmaking as a means to explore my interpersonal connections with race, gender, class, and cultural dissociation, be it through past and present histories. Over the years, that work has led to important arts opportunities I never imagined, including being one of the youngest Southern painters to be featured in and selected as a juror’s pick in New American Paintings (South, Vol. 136) as well as my recent inclusion in the retrospective In Her Place at the Frist Museum. It will forever mean the world to me that my work has also entered several esteemed collections, such as Yale University’s and Beth Rudin DeWoody’s incomparable breadth of works. Today, I’m still driven by the same goal; to create work that challenges dominant narratives while honoring the resilience and complexity of the people and histories that have inspired it, especially in the South.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but such is life. The smoothest of roads don’t always get you anywhere. Like many artists and creatives, I’ve faced certain setbacks, though in the span of these experiences, I’ve also had to navigate and encounter forms of institutional racism and sexism throughout my career. Those experiences, while initially difficult, have only reinforced my commitment to creating work that confronts inequity rather than avoiding it. Having had experienced inequity, one can honestly frame what it’s like to be marginalized.
I firmly believe that all challenges, be it in whatever complex capacity that they present themselves in, should be obstacles that ultimately must be overcome. In hindsight, these obstacles have only served to strengthen my resilience, sharpen my perspective, and deepen my sense of purpose as as a human being within our local and global community. Instead of allowing poor experiences to discourage me, I seek to use them to inform my practice and advocate for greater equity and representation. Developing a thick skin has been essential, but so has maintaining the belief that meaningful change comes from persistence, integrity, and continuing to create work that speaks to these issues.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work explores the intersections of history, memory, and identity through figurative works. There is nothing more telling and inspiring than the human body. Drawing from personal, familial, and collective histories, my works simply seek to offer a challenge and different perspective on a variety of experiences, be it sociopolitical or interpersonal. However, its the omission of Black experiences from traditional historical narratives that are one of the main focal points in my practice. I don’t like to believe or abide by a sense of one dimensionality when examining themes of race, gender, class, religion. These are complexities of identity the world over, but they present themselves more complexly in the realm of Southern identity. Rather than simply revisiting the past, my work also seeks to reclaim and encourage viewers to consider how history continues to shape our collective present. We have, quite frankly, only come so far, and the more we can challenge the status quo, there ultimately will be more room for advocacy.
Many critics and curators have noted that my combines strong technical craftsmanship with deeply conceptual storytelling, creating works that are both visually compelling and socially engaged. Recently, a gallerist had described my works as containing figures that are “portrayed with dignity, resilience, and psychological depth”. I believe in emphasizing the agency of the human experience rather than uplifting victimhood. By blending historical references with contemporary concerns, my work ultimately seeks to invite and inspire thoughtful conversations about representation, equity, and the enduring impact of America’s cultural and historical legacy.
What’s next?
I am engrained in many sectors, everything from interior design to corporate finance. I’ve recently made new career steps into both realms of theater and television, however, I’m not at liberty to discuss my participation in those aspects at the moment.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ashleydoggett.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theashleydoggett/
- Other: https://www.stevenzevitasgallery.com/artists-1/ashleydoggett
