The new work featured in Derrick Adams solo exhibition in the Pioneer Works, a nonprofit art space, was both colorfully cultured and thought provoking. It opened June 10th and runs through July 17th. Derrick Adams is a New York artist whose previous works have been premiered at the MoMA PS1, Studio Museum in Harlem, and many other museums. In his solo show ON, Adams uses different mediums such as large life-size sculptures and vivid collages to express his personal racial views. He does so by exploring the use of black figures in the entertainment industry. The TV collages were especially bold in color and were perhaps most memorable for me. I found them to represent how lively black figures were on television screens, how they brought such vitality and character to all of their audiences. Derrick Adams’ representation of black stereotypes through his work was especially significant. The depiction of black people on television, which is where the majority of the stereotypes stem from, in contrast to real life is what I took away most from his exhibition. The idea that the black roles and characters portrayed on television screens are in most cases completely different from real life connections with this group of people became very prevalent.

There were two very different environments presented throughout this exhibition, the more energetic room containing the television collages was in contrast to a small, more calming room that contained yoga mats and dim lighting. Moods were instantly changed between rooms and a great emotional experience was gained. When stepping into the more meditative space it was almost softening to one’s judgements, allowing time to slow and eyes to really read the room.

Derrick Adams solo exhibition ON was both a lively and calming experience, one that is hard to forget.