JJ Malford USA, b. 1983

JJ Manford (b. 1983, Boston, MA) is a painter whose practice constructs elaborate, imagined domestic interiors filled with historical objects, furniture, and animals. His work engages with narrative, memory, and the domestic sphere, combining meticulous detail with a surreal, dreamlike sensibility. Using oil stick, oil pastel, and Flashe paint on burlap, Manford creates richly layered surfaces that evoke tactile and visual depth, inviting viewers to explore complex histories and poetic associations within his compositions.

Manford earned a BFA in Fine Art and Art History from Cornell University (2006), a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Studio Art from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2008), and an MFA in Painting from Hunter College (2012). His solo exhibitions include The Golden Pheasant at Flamingo Estate & Other Tales of Wanderlust (Harper’s, East Hampton, 2023), Moon Salon (Derek Eller Gallery, New York, 2021), Greenport Magic (Arts and Leisure, New York, 2017), and Wanderers and Wildflowers (John Davis Gallery, Hudson, 2016), among others. His practice has been presented in high-profile group exhibitions including Levity at Berggruen Gallery, New York, reflecting his engagement with both narrative and visual experimentation. 

His works have been featured in numerous group exhibitions across the United States and internationally, including PM/AM Gallery (London), V1 Gallery (Copenhagen), Andrea Festa Fine Art (Rome), Berggruen Gallery (San Francisco), and Eric Firestone Gallery (New York). His works are included in public collections at the Brooklyn Museum, the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, and the Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, NY. Manford has also been covered in prominent publications such as Artforum, Artsy, New Yorker, and ArtNet News.

In addition to his studio practice, Manford has contributed to curatorial projects and art initiatives, serving as a visiting critic at Hunter College and co-curating exhibitions such as Temporary Antumbra Zone at Janet Kurnatowski Gallery. He lives and works in Brooklyn, NY, where he is a founding member of the artist-run spaces Underdonk and Tappeto Volante Projects.