A series of botanical drawings by St. Louis-based artist Jess T. Dugan will be exhibited for the first time at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation today. Jess T. Dugan: I’m right here with you features 25 pencil drawings made by Dugan, created over the course of the last year, as a part of their daily meditative practice.
The series marks the artist’s first foray into the medium of drawing. Although primarily known as a photographer, Dugan considers this new body of work an extension of their previous practice in its contemplative expression of the ephemerality of life.
Lilies, April 10, 2024, 2024. © Jess T. Dugan, courtesy of the artist
Some of the flowers and plants depicted are store bought, such as bouquets of tulips and lilies, while others—like sweet gum balls, crepe myrtle branches, and wild grasses—are clipped from the artist’s backyard. Dugan states, “The process of carefully observing flowers and their life cycle allows me to reflect on things that are difficult to comprehend when thought about directly: time, impermanence, mortality, and love.”
The exhibition features a selection from this ongoing series, which captures the subtle changes and fleeting beauty of plants as they bloom and wither. Dugan’s quest for presence is reflected in the series’ title I’m right here with you—something they say to their daughter at bedtime—as an acknowledgement that the best thing we can offer each other, during times of difficulty as well as joy, is our presence.
Jess T. Dugan: I’m right here with you runs simultaneously with Veronica Ryan: Unruly Objects,the first survey in the U.S. of the work of the Turner Prize-winning artist Veronica Ryan, presenting over 100 sculptures, textiles, and works on paper.
When
March 7–July 27, 2025
Where
Pulitzer Arts Foundation
3716 Washington Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63108
Admission
Free
Hours
Thursday through Sunday, 10am–5pm, with evening hours until 8pm on Friday
Organization
Jess T. Dugan: I’m right here with you is organized by Tamara H. Schenkenberg, Curator, and Stephanie Weissberg, Senior Curator, Pulitzer Arts Foundation.
About the Artist
Jess T. Dugan (b. 1986, Biloxi, MS) is an artist and writer whose work explores the complexities of personhood, relationships, desire, love, and family. While their practice is centered around photography, it also includes writing, video, sound, drawing, and installation. Their work is informed by their own life experiences, including their identity as a queer and nonbinary person, and reflects a deep belief in the importance of representation and the transformative power of storytelling.
Their work is regularly exhibited internationally and is in the permanent collections of over 60 museums. Their monographs include Look at me like you love me (MACK, 2022), To Survive on This Shore: Photographs and Interviews with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Older Adults(Kehrer Verlag, 2018) and Every Breath We Drew (Daylight Books, 2015). They are the recipient of a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant and an ICP Infinity Award, in addition to being selected by the Obama White House as an LGBT Artist Champion of Change. They currently live and work in St. Louis, MO.
About the Pulitzer
The Pulitzer Arts Foundation is an art museum devoted to presenting the art of today and works from the past within a global context. Located in the heart of St. Louis for more than 20 years, its home is an architectural landmark designed by celebrated architect Tadao Ando. Open and free to all, the Pulitzer is a cultural and civic asset to the St. Louis community and a popular destination for visitors from around the world.
The Pulitzer campus is located in the Grand Center Arts District of St. Louis, Missouri, and includes the museum, the Park-Like garden, a tree grove, and the Spring Church. The museum is open Thursday through Sunday, 10am–5pm, with evening hours until 8pm on Friday. Admission is free. For more information, visit pulitzerarts.org.
