"Variously described by Fordjour as a "giant music box in the dark," an "acoustic wilderness," and "a conjuring," Nightsong immerses viewers in an atmospheric sensorium whose aesthetic and thematic depictions trace Black musical history as it manifests, evolves, and travels through time and genre. While Fordjour has long drawn on music and theatricality in his two and three-dimensional artworks, Nightsong brings these subjects to exuberant life, as numerous vocalists perform an original, four-hour songcycle, composed exclusively for the exhibition, across a spatial, multi-room nightscape."
"Upon entering Nightsong, viewers cross into a gradual emulation of nighttime, a temporal state made spatial, in which music takes on material shape and live singers seem to have stepped, wholly animated, from Fordjour's painted tableaux. As galleries are populated with stages and mezzanines, and rooms give way to forests, architectural elements situated in minimal light, fold in and outdoors into a dream-like state."
David Kordansky Gallery presents Nightsong, an immersive installation by Derek Fordjour that transforms the Los Angeles gallery into a nightscape. Kulapat Yantrasast and WHY design the spatial environment, while Omar Edwards leads a music team including Jason White and Josiah Bell. A four-hour original songcycle is performed by numerous vocalists across multiple rooms, stages, and mezzanines, creating a durational, interactive experience. Galleries shift from interior architectures to forested thickets, evoking hush harbors where enslaved Africans gathered to sing and plan escape. Opening hours are limited to 6–10 PM to reflect the nighttime themes, ensuring each visit remains unique.
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