We all live with dreams | Jay Katelansky

Jay Katelansky's art explores how Black bodies navigate safety in the United States. Their exhibition, We All Live With Dreams, poses the question of whose dreams we inhabit: our own or those inherited from our ancestors. This solo exhibition reflects on how we carry the hopes, sacrifices, and love of those who came before us as we navigate the milestones that shape our lives. The work celebrates the human inclination to dream of better futures while also honoring what we already have.

Katelansky views achievement not as an individual endeavor but as a shared experience shaped by collective memory and support. The exhibition also pays tribute to the quiet resilience found in everyday survival—waking up, pushing forward, and finding meaning in persistence when the world feels heavy.

Katelansky's practice focuses on exploring texts and literature, which significantly inform their creative process, whether they are overtly present or subtly woven into their works. They draw inspiration from crafts and everyday objects, such as billboards, that reshape environments.

Jay Katelansky is an interdisciplinary artist based in Maryland. They received a BFA from Moore College of Art and Design and both an MA and MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Katelansky has received several awards, including the Chazen Museum Prize for Outstanding MFA Student. They have also exhibited at venues such as Canvas at Garver Feed Mill, Scope Art Fair, Memorial Union Gallery, and the School of Visual Arts in New York City.