Today, the Momentary announces a new exhibition that will bend your preconceived notions about art, history, and culture, dubbed "Awol Erizku: Mystic Parallax," which will open to the general public next week on Saturday, May 25.
Inspired by the "parallax effect," the show offers new perspectives through a mind-warping examination of Blackness and contemporary global culture.
It features a series of photographs, paintings, sculptures, installations, and even sound-based art interventions from the mind of the multidisciplinary artist Awol Erizku.
About 'Awol Erizku: Mystic Parallax'
Known for channeling music, popular culture, and sports symbolism in his works, Erizku injects the same uniquely Afrocentric aesthetic to "Mystic Parallax" in an effort to find an alternative to the Western gaze.
Artistically, the new exhibition is not confined by a specific medium, finding Erizku in full embrace of fluid improvisation across all the installations in the show. In creating these varied masterpieces, the artist employs an ever-growing catalog of motifs.
From a six-foot mirrored bust of Nefertiti casting a galaxy of shimmering light from the ceiling to an epic 75-foot wall collage depicting a mixture of iconic pieces and deep cuts from the artist's oeuvre, the exhibition showcases Erizku's vast artistic and cultural flexibility.
One installation of note is the gigantic "Celestial Bloom," which features a real Cessna 150 airplane that is suspended and overflowing with a cavalcade of differently hued flora streaming out of the cockpit and trailing off the tail-end of the aircraft.
"My focus extends beyond mere preoccupation with art history; it's deeply intertwined with my vision for cultural evolution," shared Erizku. "This line of thinking often leads me back to music."
"When I began drawing connections and creating imagery inspired by lyrics or subcultures, it stemmed from a place of reverence and deep understanding of their essence," he continued. "I make a concerted effort to elevate these influences, honoring their significance while pushing boundaries."
On view until October 13, the "Awol Erizku: Mystic Parallax" will be accompanied by the artist's monograph that is co-published by The Momentary and Aperture Photography. Admission to the show is free and open to the public.
The exhibition is curated by Sarah Meister, executive director at Aperture; Alejo Benedetti, curator of contemporary art at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Momentary; and Elise Raborg, curatorial associate of contemporary art at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Momentary.
For more information, visit themomentary.org.
