The main event space at Pioneer Works displays Derrick Adams’ solo exhibition, ON!, a collection of collages, videos, and sculptures that serves as a dramatization of the stereotypes of black characters in television and pop culture. Throughout the exhibit, the rainbow-esque colour scheme of the “Please Stand by” television screen is prominent, and used in most of the artwork presented.

Upon entering the room you land amidst colorful walls, with windows to your right and a series of television sets to your left. These sets were used in the initial opening show which presented the exhibit, in which nine actors performed improvised scripts representing different stereotypes of black characters in television and pop culture. In the background of each piece is the “Please Stand by” arrangement of colors, symbolic of the ’80s and ’90s, the period which Adams is trying to recreate through these performances.

Following the exhibit’s path, you will find yourself in a room with different frames, each displaying a collage and a featured magazine cover with a famous African American. Adorning the room were a series of lamps with lampshades representative of African headdresses, filling the otherwise dark space with little specks of light, collectively illuminating the room.

The final part of Adams’ exhibition consisted of a series of yoga mats with pillows made of the same fabric used in the television sets of the main hall. This “television” that Adams created had several night lights displaying ads on them.

Adams’ collection of artwork displays a plethora of African American influenced artwork, stemming essentially from stereotypes. It is a showcase that leaves one thinking about the stereotypes we adopt and choose to believe.

However, ON! is an exhibit best left to images and video. The collection itself is found amidst a large amount of empty space, which makes it seem lacking and poor in content. Perhaps the part one can spend most time on is the video displayed at the entrance, which is merely a loop of the performance displayed during the opening day of the exhibit. Also, Pioneer Works itself is not a place one would wish to visit on a hot summer day; it is humid and lacks air conditioning, a major key in enjoying indoor spaces. Perhaps the exhibit would have seemed more impressive if it were located within an event space that would do it justice.