AWOL ERIZKU

Through a sophisticated interplay of diverse mediums, Awol Erizku’s unique lexicon recontextualizes historical narratives. A series of neon works further expand Erizku’s investigation of identity and symbolism. These new works reflect the artist’s exploration of beauty within everyday life. One neon reimagines the iconic Los Angeles Dodgers logo in vibrant, Pan-African colors, subverting expectations of branding and belonging. While another features the Olympic rings rendered in the five colors that Malcolm X identified as symbolic of the world’s skin tones—red, black, brown, white, and yellow—offering a powerful meditation on unity, race, and representation. NO ICE is a striking neon addition to the artist’s enduring lexicon, introducing a multifaceted symbol ripe for interpretation within today’s volatile political climate. Within the broader constellation of works in this exhibition, NO ICE ignites a more urgent dialogue, illuminating the fraught landscape of race relations in America with unflinching intensity.

Erizku’s new photographic works reflect his continued resistance to the commodification of the Black body. Moving beyond direct figurative representation, they weave together Pan-African iconography, botanical symbolism, and profoundly personal narratives to explore themes of race, identity, and systemic injustice. In the Transfixion series recurring imagery from Erizku’s practice is projected onto delicate blooms such as orchids and Asiatic lilies. Drawing on French Martiniquais philosopher, Édouard Glissant’s concept of imagination as a dynamic force within the web of Relation, Erizku harnesses his creative process to envision new possibilities, forging visual narratives that resist oppressive frameworks and construct liberated futures rooted in Black identity and cultural multiplicity.

Another searing new photographic series confronts the enduring wounds of systemic injustice on Black communities. This deeply moving body of work serves as a requiem for individuals whose lives were tragically cut short by police violence, their stories etched into the artist’s consciousness. In these compositions, cowrie shells—potent symbols of African heritage, revered in spiritual rituals, and emblematic of diasporic resilience—replace bullet casings, while yellow evidence markers solemnly tally the gunshots. By transfiguring the cold aesthetics of forensic scenes into sacred spaces of remembrance and defiance, Erizku subverts the dehumanization of Black victims, carving out a visual sanctuary for mourning, reflection, and historical reckoning. This series not only amplifies his ongoing dialogue with Black identity and resistance but also reclaims the cowrie as a beacon of cultural continuity, echoing Malcolm X’s vision of a global Black consciousness.

Expanding on Erizku’s deep engagement with the intersection of music and visual art, the third-floor installation presents a suite of “The Most influential Hip-Hop Albums of all time” according to the artist, inkjet printed on stone. Erizku elevates his selection beyond their original commercial and digital contexts. Presenting them as “paintings” he situates them within art history. The weight and texture of the stone serve as a counterpoint to the ephemeral quality of contemporary music consumption, prompting reflection on how cultural memory is preserved and rewoven into a new tapestry. Creating an immersive experience, the exhibition is accompanied by a curated mixtape for visitors to listen to as they move through the space, serving as an auditory extension of Erizku’s artistic language.