City Art Gallery is celebrating 40 years in business! And we are celebrating throughout the year with spotlights on the artists who have helped shape this gallery. ECU alum Jordan Parah creates both small- and large-scale metal sculptures that explore equality and the strength found in coexistence. Drawn to metal for its permanence and endurance, she works with steel, aluminum, stainless steel and sometimes bronze, challenging the inherent qualities of each material to create fluid, harmonious compositions.
The juxtaposition of contrasting metals, forms, shapes, and colors reflects Parah’s belief that although people are inherently different, all are fundamentally equal. By bringing disparate materials together, her sculptures become a physical expression of balance, diversity, and unity, while the strength of the metal speaks to the resilience required to build and sustain an equitable society.
Light and surface play an important role in Parah’s work. Sand and grind marks create varied textures across the metal, allowing light to move across the forms and reflect from different directions. This shifting interplay symbolizes the value of different perspectives and the importance of seeing the world through another person’s eyes.
Inspired by family, music, visual art, and the natural forces of wind, water, fire, and movement, Parah transforms contrasting elements into sculptures that embody balance, harmony, and enduring strength.
Parah’s work can be found in both private and public collections including the Greenville Museum of Art, UNC REX Hospital Cancer Center, and Wake Forest Renaissance Arts Center. Parah currently has a piece on display in ECU’s School of Art and Design Alumni Show “Re/Collection”. Her sculpture, “Ever-Changing Waters”, is located at Emerge Gallery and will be there through September 26!
