Zia Jenae Portrait Appraisal

Mixed Media Portrait of Zia Jenae by Courtney Jolliff

This original contemporary artwork, created by Detroit-based artist Courtney Jolliff, depicts the emerging Chicago musician and art collector Zia Jenae. Executed on a non-traditional substrate of recycled newsprint or paper with a vertical fold line, the piece utilizes a mix of acrylic or gouache paint and bold black ink or marker. The central figure is shown from the side in a yellow halter-style gown, standing before a stylized piano. The use of a bright yellow or gold crown atop the figure's head is a significant motif, possibly referencing the works of Jean-Michel Basquiat. The background features heavy,gestural black block-outs and architectural lines that contrast with the printed news text visible beneath the layers of paint. Stylistically, the piece exhibits Neo-Expressionist tendencies with its raw, energetic linework and found-material base. Regarding condition, the paper shows intentional wrinkling and various creasing consistent with the artist's use of ephemeral materials during a period of housing instability following a 2022 house fire. The work is titled as part of the 'Service' exhibition (2023-2024), which serves as a tribute to the community that supported Jolliff during his displacement. The craftsmanship is characterized by a high degree of expressive mark-making and a deliberate tension between the industrial newsprint and the regal subject matter.