Tag: african

Sanford Biggers at Marianne Boesky Gallery

‘Meet me on the Equinox,’ the title of Sanford Biggers’ show at Marianne Boesky Gallery in Chelsea deliberately evokes a point of convergence between different places or ideas, appropriate for new work that combines objects from a mix of cultures.  Pieces like this marble, wood and textile sculpture titled The Repatriate, continue Biggers’ interest in combining artifacts with different backgrounds, in this case a mask that is itself a collage of various African masks, a wooden platform inspired by bases of roadside shrines in Asia and beyond, and quilts that recall stories of textiles used to send messages on the Underground Railroad.  As its title suggests, Biggers explains that he was thinking of objects with identities that have been altered by context; as ownership changes, identity continues to evolve.  (On view in Chelsea through Oct 14th).

Sanford Biggers, The Repatriate, green marble and antique quilts on custom cedar plinth, 73 x 24 x 24 inches overall, unique within a series, 2023.

The Met reopens ‘Sahel: Art and Empires on the Shores of the Sahara’

New York Art Tours celebrates the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s reopening to the public today with a look at this Seated Male Figure from the museum’s current ‘Sahel:  Art and Empires on the Shores of the Sahara’ exhibition.  Fueled by global trade and transformed by the arrival of Islam, the region’s empires produced masterpieces like this terracotta figure whose identity is unknown.  (On view through Oct 26th.  View the Met’s new guidelines before visiting.)

Seated Male Figure, Middle Niger civilization, terracotta, Mali, 12th – 14th century.

Nick Cave at Jack Shainman Gallery

Nick Cave, famous for his part-armor, part-costume sound-suits, meditates on gun violence in America in a sobering, symbol-laden show at Jack Shainman Gallery.  Here, Cave nestles found sculptures of African heads amongst hands paired in prayer or raised in a solitary gesture of greeting, surrender or a caress.  Flowers in the background offer hope of renewal.  (On view at Jack Shainman’s two Chelsea locations through Dec 22nd).

Nick Cave, detail of Untitled, fiberglass hands, wood sculpted heads of various sizes, beaded flowers, 36” (h) x 270” (l) x 45 ½” (w), 2018

Ibrahim El-Salahi at Salon94

A visit to the Alhambra in Spain inspired Oxford, England-based Sudanese artist Ibrahim El-Salahi to begin his ‘Flamenco’ series, in which he celebrates the music and dance of Andalusia in his signature, modernist style.  (At Salon94 on the Lower East Side through April 18th).

Ibrahim El-Salahi, Flamenco, poster paint on cardboard, 33.875 x 34.625 inches, 2010.
Ibrahim El-Salahi, Flamenco (detail), poster paint on cardboard, 33.875 x 34.625 inches, 2010.

Kehinde Wiley at Brooklyn Museum

New York artist Kehinde Wiley turns the tables on canonical western art history in paintings which substitute contemporary characters of African descent for European figures. Here, in a centerpiece of Wiley’s current Brooklyn Museum exhibition, a young man plays the role of odalisque. (Through May 24th).

Kehinde Wiley, installation view of ‘Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic,” Brooklyn Museum, February, 2015.