“Seized the Imagination”
Nina Chanel Abney
Jack Shainman Gallery
Content and images by: Caressa Losier
Seized the Imagination, an exhibit by contemporary Chicago artist Nina Chanel Abney was featured at Jack Shainman – a swanky art gallery in Chelsea, NYC, from November 9, 2017 – December 20, 2017. Colorful acrylic paint splashed over larger-than-life canvases and highlighted a series of scenarios Abney’s copper-colored characters experienced – that result in a range of extreme emotions.
From random acts of violence to tear-jerking scenes of injustice, Abney’s characters are never painted as victims, but more like superheroes. This fresh perspective helps creates a sense of optimism, instead of pity, allow ing you to walk away feeling more lighthearted about these heavy situations.
But what is Nina Chanel Abney really trying to tell us about the lives of her melanated characters? Can you tell?
Black and Blues
Penny Dreadful
Abney’s Seized the Imagination exhibit is excellent at splashing vivid colors over each chaotic scenario to capture your attention. But if you’re like me, you’ve probably realized that the shapes in each painting are not as significant, and it’s the symbols they bear that hold the most power. For example, in Penny Dreadful, silhouettes that look like cars wearing the Mercedes Benz emblem breeze past a frightening scenario of injustice in what appears to be an affluent suburban area.
A dollar sign brands the orange house silhouette in the distance of a policeman sporting his badge on his back pocket, while assaulting the male figure in his grasp. Interestingly enough, a group of hands are in the shadows of the lower left corner recording the incident on their smartphones.
WCW, Whet and Mr. Baker
White River Fish Kill
There have been numerous stories reported in the media of toxic substances poisoning and killing thousands of fish. That’s why I found White River Fish Kill from Abney’s Seized the Imagination exhibit so fascinating. It takes place in the center of a river surrounded by live and dead fish. A crowd of topless women who appear to have been sunbathing look shocked to see authorities taking away a fully-clothed woman sitting in the grass – who could potentially be transgender. In Basquiat-esque style, the words “Mo Blood” are crossed out in the upper left corner of the canvas.
Hobson’s Choice
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