ON is a solo exhibition created by the artist Derrick Adams. The work is held by a non-profit organization at Pioneer Works in 159 Pioneer Street Red Hook, Brooklyn. The expansive space holds the exhibition in the first floor. However, there are art two more art installations throughout the building. As we entered, we were greeted by the humidity of summer air because the space is not air conditioned, and a woman at a reception desk. She said we were free to take any flyers on the desk and we proceeded to walk around the space. My attention was directed to a sculpture. The sculpture was a greenish transparent block, with a collage of pictures creating an almost human like creature. I walked towards an open space bordered with colorful walls. The space was a long spacious hall with windows tall enough to let the sunlight in and catch the outside view of Brooklyn. The hall had nine media art hangings. They were old televisions decorated with different, colorful fabrics with sculptures and lights surrounding it. It gave a vintage feeling. According to Pioneer Works’ website, the art will be used for the opening night of the exhibition, “- On opening night, Adams will act as conductor, live mixing sound from mic’d performers within the nine settings into an orchestrated production that references television programs from the late 1980s and early 1990s as well as late-night infomercials.” Followed by the space was another space containing sculptures of blocks with lamps decorated with wigs styled by different hairstyles such as cornrows and braids, beaded jewelry and other accessories. Again, the walls surrounding the art pieces were colorful and the similar television hangings decorated the walls using collages of colors, fabric from dashiki, and other media. Following the space, was a smaller dim lit room with yoga mats. Each yoga mat was a different color, decorated at the top with a pillow similar to the pattern of the vintage television sets. Towards the front of the space was a collage decorated by night lights with video stills of Miss Cleo, a 1990’s television psychic. Derrick Adams celebrates black culture with his exhibition, however he shows it by presenting them in stereotypes.
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