Atlanta artist Jessica Blinkhorn wins coveted Guggenheim Fellowship

June 26th, 2024

Atlanta multi-disciplinary artist Jessica Blinkhorn. (Courtesy of Jessica Blinkhorn)

Artists, scientists, writers and other creators recently earned the honors of the 2024 Guggenheim Fellowship – and among them, one of our own.

Atlanta multi-disciplinary artist Jessica Blinkhorn creates performances and visual art in advocacy for the disabled, LGBTQ+ and aging communities.

As a Guggenheim Fellow this year, she’ll receive generous support to pursue her next project, as the Foundation puts it, “in the freest possible conditions.” Blinkhorn joins “City Lights” to share her story with host Lois Reitzes, and explain her new artistic horizons.

“Art has always been a way for me to connect with the world and show them what I can do,” said Blinkhorn.

“My disease is degenerative, and it does continue to progress. I am currently on medicine that’s meant to slow the progression… I knew that my hands would eventually be taken from me, so I started looking for other pathways to create, and that’s where I found performance installation and writing.

“My work actually became an extension of processing my body’s own natural deterioration… and speaking up for people who otherwise don’t really have a voice either, because they feel they’ve been so marginalized that no one listens or they really have no voice due to the degenerative nature of their disease.”