new virtual exhibition coming soon!
ASIKO
"Exhausting" 2018
Àsìkò is a conceptual photographer whose practice is anchored by the interpolation of his emotional experiences as a Nigerian born (and raised) British citizen, into a life-long, cultural and spiritual exploration of his Yoruba heritage. His work is motivated by a drive for greater self-awareness, authentic creative expression and therefore the development of a visual language that articulates new ways to understand the liberatory possibilities of African diasporic identity.
As such Asiko’s work is aspirational. His images, although initiated by internal dialogue, seek to instigate public conversations with the audience that can help to negotiate some of the ethical contradictions inherent within modern permutations of Yoruba culture. This is because they are grounded in a wider commitment to faithfully honour and enrich the relevance of this vast and – as yet poorly understood – knowledge system and philosophy to contemporary global society.
He achieves this by employing an intrinsically sensual and feminist approach that centres the body as the subject through which he generates ideas about gendered power dynamics and violence, the limits of femininity and masculinity, spirituality and beauty, our relationship to nature and ultimately belonging. Frequently lacing his visual aesthetic with adornment and choreographed movement, juxtaposed against atmospheric locations, his imagery is imbued with a distinctively seductive charge.
paul s. briggs
"Knots Inside" from the Black Pain Series - Glazed Stoneware - 2019
PAUL was born in Beacon, NY and grew up in the Hudson Valley region of upstate New York. “Slab-building is my “primary” method of expression. Pinch-forming is what I do to meditate, slab building is what I do to think through ideas, to philosophize concretely. I have studied educational theory and policy, art education, theology, sculpture and ceramics. After a circuitous and fortuitous journey, I am an artist-teacher at The Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston, MA. My partner and I share the evenings musing about sewing and quilting, ceramics and sculpture, art, life, and how far away our three children live.”
okeeba jubalo
"WoodenSteel" Mixed Media on Wood 2020
OKEEBA is an American painter based in Atlanta, Georgia whose creations are centered on illuminating the undefined and sometimes bitter truths of people of African American descent. He uses sketchy, yet vibrant and soulfully layered paint strokes with his original hand-written poetry. His infiltration of aged photos has become a prominent characteristic of his work. His strong, in-your-face artistry invokes conversations that are seldom discussed in large social arenas.
Jubalo has taken it upon himself to create a visual voice for those made invisible in America’s social, economic and political infrastructure. He draws his inspiration from his share cropping forefathers and experience. His artwork is a reflection of his vision of his perspective on the struggle of today’s African American.
Religious, social and political subject matter drive the message of his artistry. His artistic technique draws the audience into a visual history lesson that speaks to today’s social landscape.
Jubalo will continue to address some of the major concerns, issues and circumstances faced by African Americans from a socioeconomic standpoint. By addressing the past, he hopes that conversations invoked by his artwork will lead to global positive actions, and educating African American youth about sacrifices made by his and her ancestors.