 |
|
||||||
Having Problems Viewing A Video On This Page?
|
|
Onajide Shabaka says that his work is "a short journey made by walking in the landscape. The evolution of this may be developed as follows: the artist goes for a walk, in the New Mexico desert, the tall trees of Oregon, the lakes of Minnesota, in a Florida swamp, for a day, or several days. During the course of the walk he may take one or more photographs, make a drawing, pick up some stones, seeds or twigs. These may be brought back to the studio and photographed, and may be published or exhibited as evidence of the performative artwork. These objects and the experience also provide germination for further research and knowledge". "I have forged a path for my artistic interests that challenges the status quo, especially the exclusivity, hermeticism and austerity of the white cubic gallery space. At the same time, my work, in its engagement with nature, history, technology, and ritual allows the viewers to experience a more holistic view of the world." Onajide Shabaka was born in 1948 in Cincinnati, OH, and lives in Miami, FL. He studied at California College of the Arts, received his BFA in photography from Florida Atlantic University, and his MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. He has shown his work in solo exhibitions in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, TX and Potsdam, Germany, among others. His work has been included in numerous group shows over the years, including exhibitions at Project Row Houses In Houston, TX, PRIZM Art Fair in Miami, Museum of Contemporary Art of North Miami, Edna Manley College of the Arts in Kingston, Jamaica, Wayne State University in Detroit, MI and Emerson Dorsch in Miami, to name a few. He has been the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including Oolite Arts / The Ellies, a public sculpture commission for the Carrie Meeks Foundation building in Opa Locka, FL, and a Locust Projects Wavemaker Grant. Shabaka is editor of Miami Art Exchange, and director & curator of Artlab33 contemporary art Miami & Fort Lauderdale, FL, which works to develop projects in and beyond the white cube of the gallery. It's goal is nomadic and utilizes various venues from storefronts and warehouses to university galleries. In 2020, he was Artist in Residence at IS Projects Bookmaking Residency, where he published a hand bound artist's book, “Antilles Lacunae: points of departure” with photographs, screen printing, letterpress printing, laser cuts, and a bit of text. He has recently been Artist in Residence at AIRIE Everglades Artist Residency, Everglades National Park, and then at Anderson Ranch Art Center in Colorado. He is represented by Emerson Dorsch Gallery in Miami. ONAJIDE SHABAKA'S WEB SITE EMERSON DORSCH WEB SITE |