Radical Love

Curated by Jaishri Abichandani and Natasha Becker

Through the theme of Utopian Imagination, the trilogy of exhibitions in the gallery’s inaugural year create a trajectory toward a more just future. The first exhibition, Perilous Bodies (March 4 – May 11, 2019), examined injustice through the intersecting lens of violence, race, gender, ethnicity, and class. Radical Love responds to the first show by offering love as the answer to a world in peril.

Love, in the context of this exhibition, is defined by a commitment to the spiritual growth and interconnectedness of the individual, their community, and stewardship of the planet. Guided by the powerful words of bell hooks, “Were we all seeing more images of loving human interaction, it would undoubtedly have a positive impact on our lives.” The works in Radical Love are grounded in ideas of devotion, abundance, and beauty; here, otherness and marginality is celebrated, adorned, and revered.

The Utopian Imagination exhibition trilogy concept was developed by Jaishri Abichandani.

Image: Athi-Patra Ruga, Umesiyakazi in Waiting, 2015. Courtesy of the Artist and WHATIFTHEWORLD. Photo: Hayden Phipps

Sue Austin

La Vaughn Belle & Jeannette Ehlers

María Berrío

Raúl de Nieves

Omar Victor Diop

vanessa german

Jah Grey

Baseera Khan

Thomas Lanigan-Schmidt

McCallum & Tarry: Bradley McCallum & Jacqueline Tarry

Rashaad Newsome

Ebony G. Patterson

Jody Paulsen

Thania Petersen

Lina Puerta

Faith Ringgold

Athi-Patra Ruga

Nep Sidhu

Rose B. Simpson

Imani Uzuri

Lina Iris Viktor

Exhibition installation information

Interior view of the Ford Foundation Gallery featuring the entrance to the "Radical Love" exhibition. A large, matte black sculpture of a seated woman in a peacock chair is centered on a white wall, positioned on a clear base filled with light-colored stones.

Interior view of the Ford Foundation Gallery exhibition, "Radical Love." Vibrant red walls feature lush botanical installations, contemporary photography, and a large-scale beaded tapestry. The space showcases social justice art and multimedia works exploring themes of love and liberation.

Interior view of the Ford Foundation Gallery featuring the "Radical Love" exhibition. A large, intricate tapestry made of colorful beads and sequins is displayed on a dark patterned wall, with vibrant red gallery walls and lush botanical installations visible in the background.

Interior view of the Ford Foundation Gallery featuring the "Radical Love" exhibition. A large, complex altar-style installation with gold, red, and blue motifs is centered on a vibrant red wall, surrounded by diverse multimedia sculptures and textile art exploring social justice and liberation.

Interior view of the Ford Foundation Gallery featuring the "Radical Love" exhibition. Vibrant red walls display diverse multimedia installations, including a large beaded tapestry of figures, small pedestals with figurines, and complex altar-like wall sculptures.

Interior of the Ford Foundation Gallery during the "Radical Love" exhibition. A terracotta sculpture of a figure holding a child stands on a black patterned pedestal. In the background, a large gold-leaf geometric work and a group portrait are mounted on vibrant red walls.

Interior view of the Ford Foundation Gallery featuring the "Radical Love" exhibition. The wide-angle shot showcases vibrant red walls adorned with diverse multimedia art, including beaded tapestries, sculptures, and a large altar installation by Thomas Lanigan-Schmidt. — Installation Photos by Sebastian Bach and Tom Powel

La Vaughn Belle & Jeannette Ehlers

(Trinidad/Virgin Islands, b. 1974)
(Trinidad, b. 1973, lives and works in Denmark)
I Am Queen Mary (A Hybrid of Bodies, Nations, and Narratives), 2019
HDU foam, acrylic polyurethane, acrylic, and coral stones cut from the ocean by enslaved Africans
84 x 47 x 60 inches
Courtesy of the Artists
Photo Sebastian Bach

Bradley McCallum & Jacqueline Tarry

(United States, b. 1966)
(United States, b. 1963)
Evidence of Things Not Seen, 2008
Oil on linen, toner on silk
Dimensions variable
Courtesy of the Artists

Athi-Patra Ruga

(South Africa, b. 1984)
Umesiyakazi in Waiting, 2015
Archival inkjet print
59 x 75 inches
Courtesy of the Artist and WHATIFTHEWORLD, Cape Town

Lina Puerta

(United States, b. 1969, lives and works in Colombia and the United States)
Mēãbema, from the Botánico series, 2019
Mixed media
Dimensions variable
Courtesy of the Artist
Photo Sebastian Bach

Maria Berrio | Nativity, 2014 | Collage with Japanese paper, acrylic and watercolor paint, pencil, and rhinestones

María Berrío

(Colombia, b. 1982, lives and works in the United States)
Nativity, 2014
Collage with Japanese paper, acrylic and watercolor paint, pencil, and rhinestones
48 x 60 inches
Private Collection

Ebony G. Patterson

(Jamaica, b. 1981, lives and works in the United States)
… she saw things she shouldn’t have … for those who bear/bare witness, 2018
Jacquard-woven tapestry and mixed media on artist-designed fabric wallpaper
111 × 94 inches
Courtesy of the Alison Katz Wolfson Family Collection; Courtesy of the Artist and Monique Meloche Gallery, Chicago

Faith Ringgold

(United States, 1930-2024)
Evelyn, 1978
Soft sculpture
35 ½ x 8 x 8 inches

Suzanne, 1977
Soft sculpture
26 x 8 x 8 inches

Yvonne, 1978
Soft sculpture
36 x 8 x 8 inches

Courtesy of ACA Galleries, New York

Rashaad Newsome

(United States, b. 1979)
Look Back at It, 2016
Collage in custom frame with leather and automotive paint
80 ⅜ x 78 ¾ x 8 inches

(not pictured)Jungle Gardenia, 2013
Custom vinyl wallpaper

Private Collection

Baseera Khan

(United States, b. 1989)
Seat #14 [Feat.] and Seat #13 [Feat.], 2018
Prayer rugs, artist’s underwear, textiles
45 x 28 x 3 ½ inches each
Courtesy of the Artist and Simone Subal Gallery
Photo Sebastian Bach

Jah Grey

(Canada, b. 1991)
Dancing in the Light, 2018
Video
18:20
Courtesy of the Artist

Jody Paulsen

(South Africa, b. 1987)
Find Your Gaggle, 2019
Felt collage
108 x 150 inches
Collection of Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson, 21c Museum Hotel
Photo Sebastian Bach

Sue Austin

(United Kingdom, 1965)
Creating the Spectacle!
Part 1: Finding Freedom, 2012
Video
4:25
© We Are Freewheeling Ltd, Artist: Sue Austin; Videographer: Norman Lomax

Thania Petersen

(South Africa, b. 1980)
IQRAA, 2019
Embroidery thread and fringe on cotton
69 x 42 inches
Courtesy of the Artist and WHATIFTHEWORLD, Cape Town

Raúl de Nieves

(Mexico, b. 1983, lives and works in the United States)
Fina Beauty and Fina Nurture, 2019
Vintage military suits, sequins, metal bells, thread, glue, cardboard, plastic beads, tape, trims, mannequins
Dimensions variable
Courtesy of the Artist and Company Gallery, New York
Photo Sebastian Bach

Thomas Lanigan-Schmidt

(United States, b. 1948)
The Preying Hands: In a Little Corner Chapel to Mammon in the Cathedral of Moloch, Greed Makes Human Sacrifice Expedient Upon the Altar of Racism, Displacement and Gentrification, 1985
Mixed-media installation
Dimensions variable
Courtesy of the Artist and Pavel Zoubok Fine Art, New York
Photo Sebastian Bach

Lina Iris Viktor

(United Kingdom, b. 1987, lives and works in the United States and the United Kingdom)
Eleventh, 2018
24-karat gold, acrylic, ink, gouache, copolymer resin, print on matte canvas
65 x 50 inches
Collection of Dr. Anita Blanchard and Martin Nesbitt
Photo Sebastian Bach

vanessa german

(United States, b. 1976)
Notes on the Absence of Sacredness: How Little Black Girls Die, 2018
Mixed-media assemblage
77 x 30 x 18 inches
Collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody

Nep Sidhu

(United Kingdom, b. 1978, lives and works in Canada)
Confirmation B, 2014
Ink on paper, aluminum, brass
90 x 90 x 5 inches
Courtesy of the Artist
Photo Sebastian Bach

Rose B. Simpson

(United States, b. 1983)
Genesis Squared, 2019
Ceramic, steel, mixed media
81 ½ x 23 x 23 inches
Courtesy of the Artist

Omar Victor Diop

(Senegal, b. 1980)
The Ibo Women’s War 1929, from the Liberty series, 2016
Inkjet print on Hahnemühle paper
47 x 64 inches
Courtesy of MAGNIN-A Gallery, Paris

Imani Uzuri

(United States)
Hush Arbor: Wade (1, 2 & 3), 2019
Site-specific sound installation
Courtesy of the Artist

More from this exhibition

Curator-led tour: August 17

Curator-led tour: July 13

Exhibition opening: Radical Love

Curator-led tour: July 10

Curator-led tour: June 15