Jade, under the pseudonym “VӘX” (pronounced “vex”), is a visual artist whose work often addresses social, psychological, and queer-identity struggles through a lens of abstraction. Currently residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Jade received a BA from Hendrix College, where they formally studied printmaking and music composition. Initially inspired in style by the comic book industry, their work evolved to mesh neo-expressionist, existentialist, and street art aesthetics, following years of study into the topics and a collegiate expedition to New York galleries where they experienced works by the likes of Pollock, Bacon, and Basquiat, firsthand. Frequently utilizing large and occasionally multiple canvases secured together, Jade creates at- or larger-than-life spectacles that capture the experience of enduring the topics presented and show how multiple ideas, catalysts, and stigma coalesce into a singular contention.