McNulty explores the dichotomous relationship between perception and reality in both subject matter and presentation. She refers to her recent works as 3D Photo Mosaics, which were born from her love of genealogy paired with her interest in pop culture and history. These works combine the graphic beauty of photography with the sculptural quality of tiled mosaics. This marriage of methods give the art depth and engages the viewer by requiring them to get up close to see the small detailed photos and then step back to observe the compound image that is formed. Every piece carries a social message from feminism to civil rights to Chicago’s history and beyond, and each individual image among hundreds in a single piece is thoroughly researched for accuracy and relevance to the overall subject.
Jen’s work will be on display in our May 2018 exhibition, CounterCulture: Hidden Stories of Chicago Past and Present. You can check out more of her work here.
Featured work: Chicago Flag, tile mosaic