For some architects art is an integral part of their practice. Wright, Kahn, Corbu, Mies, Zaha—all made distinctive, beautiful presentation images of their building designs that stand on their own as art. Other architects make art on the side, and Jones belongs to this camp. His work never depicts his designs for buildings, yet it is related to those designs, even if it is hard to see. Unlike Wright, Corbu and the others, his art isn’t a way to discover architecturally useful shapes or colors or even to practice “design.” It has no mechanical reference, no measure, precision, or industrial flavor. It is however a record of a process that has the same layered topological logic as the practice encoded in his buildings.

Art was the first step toward the idea that eventually became architecture. When it goes up on the wall it is also the last step in making the space that resulted. The idea that some visual marks on paper could carry more weight than simple acknowledgment of their existence, or serve a role different from rote utility unites art and architecture. In this respect they differ only in their scale and a happenstance relation to shelter. Beyond this, the biggest difference is just that Art is about itself, nothing else, whereas architecture begins with a program that always makes it at least start out being about something else.

Today, though, both are as confused about their identity as they were amazed about it when they first emerged so long ago. Back then the marks on the cave wall were magic, and the menhirs on the plain were monuments, but now these things seldom stand on their own like that. Work judged by its provenance, price or place in the art game may be called art, but it’s really just illustration. Likewise, Buildings judged for their signature, luxury or place on the magazine cover are not valued for reasons architecture would recognize. Real Art is about itself, but like real architecture it exists for the viewer. Real art and architecture are shared, and in this sense are generous and priceless.

Art for Boss Buildings I (1986-2022): collaged works on paper, mounted to mdf panels. Enamel and acrylic, oil stick.

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Art for Boss Buildings II (1993-2022): collaged works on paper, behind glass. Graphite, acrylic, toner, found stuff.