"Many of the new commissions use small elements as the basis for monumental works, an allegory for democracy and the importance of individual people forming a larger whole. Several of the works also reference significant historical moments, especially during the Civil Rights era in the United States. In their first collaboration, Cave and Watt, will make a large installation of beaded nets and sculptural "jingle elements", combining Indigenous and Black traditions. Meanwhile, Julien will create a mural of tiny dots about collective action and democracy. And Durrett will reimagine Harriet Tubman's shawl using thousands of ceramic tiles."
"Khan's new ceiling work will feature hundreds of hand-stamped words from President Obama's 2015 speech marking the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights protest marches from Selma to Montgomery in Alabama. And Holzer will use redacted FBI files to create a memorial to the Freedom Riders-Civil Rights activists who rode integrated buses together through the Deep South in 1961 in defiance of local segregation laws."
The Obama Foundation commissioned ten artists to create nine site-specific works for the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, scheduled to open spring 2026. The commissions include Nick Cave, Nekisha Durrett, Jenny Holzer, Jules Julien, Idris Khan, Aliza Nisenbaum, Jack Pierson, Alison Saar, Kiki Smith and Marie Watt. Many works assemble small elements into monumental forms as an allegory for democracy and the role of individuals forming a larger whole. Several commissions reference major moments from the Civil Rights era. Cave and Watt will create a beaded-net installation with sculptural "jingle elements"; Julien will produce a mural of tiny dots; Durrett will reimagine Harriet Tubman's shawl with thousands of ceramic tiles; Khan will hand-stamp words from Obama's 2015 Selma speech on a ceiling; Holzer will use redacted FBI files to memorialize Freedom Riders.
Read at The Art Newspaper - International art news and events
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