Painter Derrick Adams has long been inspired by the sights and people of his Brooklyn neighborhood, from wig shops to the faces of his neighbors. Recent work on view at the Flag Art Foundation in Chelsea continues this interest while announcing a new direction; inspired by movies, Adams adds another layer of narrative and visual power to over a dozen new works that continue his exploration of Black leisure and joy in everyday life. One day while working on a photo shoot in a Brooklyn park, Adams observed a young Black couple installing and relaxing in a hammock. The scenario struck him as cinematic and inspired this happy ode to life’s pleasures enjoyed by the couple, a squirrel, pigeons and even a public monument. (On view through March 11th).
