“We Are Here (Brooklyn) is a celebration of Bedford-Stuyvesant’s rich cultural legacy- a testament to its past and present … centers images and stories of long-time Bed-Stuy residents, cementing their place as neighborhood icons in the name of resilience and permanence.”
Branly is a misfire for several reasons. The exhibition rooms are shrouded in darkness as if that is the way to symbolize Africa, turning it into a maze that confuses and irritates visitors. The collection on display mainly comes (or was stolen?) from French colonies, which means that the museum by definition gives a distorted image. And the tone of the accompanying wall texts is sometimes annoyingly educational.
James Barnor’s work is remarkable but not just for the lifespan of years recording culture around the world. In Barnor’s work you can feel the richness of life behind the portraits.
There is no day that I will stand and pretend that I wove the mats or the bags, I mean, that would be a blatant lie but in terms of taking these pieces as additive spices to tell a new story that involves their work, yes, that makes me the artist.
I am fascinated with the surface of steel. It is a substance so strong and industrial in nature. I love interrogating it, pushing its boundaries and playing with the alchemical processes. I look to bring life and dynamism to the materials that have constructed my hometown. I also love painting on it, the beauty of the oil paint gliding on its smooth surface.