Claire Oliver Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of new work by artist BK Adams, Five Miles. The exhibition features 10 large-scale, multimedia artworks that are layered narratives of symbolism, syphers, recurring imagery and text. Adams employs a complex system of references from the natural world such as dried flowers and wax bees alongside recurring characters such as the lion and the blue horse to tell complex biographical and allegorical stories. The exhibition marks the gallery debut for the artist, whose work has already been placed in four institutions since he joined the gallery’s program in early 2023. Five Miles will be on view in New York City from September 8 – November 4, 2023.
“My goal is to make works that are both personal and universal, inspirational, and empathetic,” said Adams. “I am motivated by my own life as a father, artist, and spiritual being in the hopes that I can bring something important to the community. Each element in my work is symbolic. For example, I wore a flower in my lapel every day for a year and collected each flower in a bowl in the studio. These flowers ended up in my paintings as part of the system of life and beauty that surrounds us daily, infused with the spirit and time of my daily activity. I hope my work uplifts viewers and charts a path for choosing to see the beauty and worth behind everything, no matter how insignificant. There is magic in our power to choose joy.”
Five Miles takes inspiration from southern wives’ tales, folklore, and fables to offer works that represent BK Adams’ image of self and the stories of encouragement and inspiration. The recurring lion figure symbolizes leadership, wisdom, comfort, and sanctuary. Often depicted with cubs, the lion serves as a teacher and guide imparting Adams’ philosophy of finding worlds and wonder within the minute and mundane. Adams’ works are layered and complex maps intended to serve as a guide to help viewers navigate life’s obstacles by choosing joy and overcoming challenges by shifting our own perceptions.
About Claire Oliver Gallery ~ Claire Oliver Gallery is located in Central Harlem in a four-story brownstone. For nearly 25 years, Claire Oliver Gallery has showcased and celebrated artwork, with a focus on work by women and people of color, which transcends and challenges the traditional art historical canon. Our forward-thinking program and exclusive commitment to the primary market allows for an intensive focus that has nurtured and grown the careers of our artists. Many of the gallery’s artists have been included in The Venice Biennale, The Whitney Biennial, and biennales in Sydney, Pittsburgh, and Lyon and have exhibited works in major international museums including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, The Art Institute of Chicago, Center Georges Pompidou, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, and The Los Angeles County Museum of Art amongst others. Claire Oliver Gallery artists are included in the permanent collections of many important museums worldwide including The Smithsonian American Art Museum, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Tate Britain, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The State Hermitage Museum, MoMA, and the Museum of Arts and Design amongst many others. Claire Oliver Gallery held the first American exhibition for the Russian collaborative AES+F, whose work went on to twice represent Russia in the Russian pavilion of the Venice Biennale. Gallery artists have received prestigious fellowships including Fulbright, Guggenheim, USArtist and National Endowment for the Arts.
BK Adams: Five Miles will be on view from September 8 to November 4, 2023 at Claire Oliver Gallery, 2288 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard, NYC.
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While you wait, Gio Swaby, I Will Blossom Anyway will be on view to July 29, 2023.
Take a look back at recent exhibitions at Claire Oliver Gallery.