Utopian Imagination
Curated by Jaishri Abichandani
Utopian Imagination brings together works by artists who are imagining our existence on an imperiled planet. With the understanding that (radical) love is the answer to the violence presented in Perilous Bodies, this exhibition recognizes the difficulties of the task ahead. Utopias are increasingly hard to imagine in a world torn asunder by conflict. Using science fiction to frame this interrogation, this exhibition presents objects, bodies, vessels, and fragments created by artists over time that when pieced together, offer a vision of a future that includes all of us.
The Utopian Imagination exhibition trilogy concept was developed by Jaishri Abichandani.
Image: Cannupa Hanska Luger, The One Who Checks & The One Who Balances, 2018 Courtesy of the artist, Photo credit: Chip Thomas, Ginger Dunnill
Saks Afridi
Morehshin Allahyari
Firelei Báez
Beatriz Cortez
Lola Flash
Juliana Huxtable
farxiyo jaamac
Lee Bul
Cannupa Hanska Luger
Mariko Mori
Zak Ové
Mikael Owunna
Yinka Shonibare CBE
More from this exhibition
Exhibition installation information
Saks Afridi
(Pakistan, b. 1975, lives and works in the United States)
The Prayer Catcher, 2019
High-density foam, acrylic, brass leaf, acrylic paint
50 x 35 x 18 inches
Designed by Brandon Wetzel, in collaboration with Ferda Kolatan, Hart Marlow, Amir Ashtiani
Firelei Báez
(Dominican Republic, b. 1981, lives and works in the United States)
Adjusting the Moon (The right to non-imperative clarities), 2019
Mirrored walls, two paintings
Oil and acrylic on panel
Overall dimensions: 12 x 12 x 16 ½ feet
Paintings: 114 x 78 x 1 ½ inches each
Courtesy of the Artist and James Cohan, New York
Saks Afridi
(Pakistan, b. 1975, lives and works in the United States)
Sighting #3, 2019
Vibrachrome print on aluminum
48 x 36 inches
Courtesy of the Artist
Saks Afridi
(Pakistan, b. 1975, lives and works in the United States)
Hovering Minaret, 2019
High density foam, electromagnets, wood, and paint
24 x 4 x 4 inches
Courtesy of Aicon Contemporary
Saks Afridi
(Pakistan, b. 1975, lives and works in the United States)
Sighting #6, 2019
Vibrachrome print on aluminum
48 x 36 inches
Private Collection
Mariko Mori
(Japan, b. 1957)
Miko No Inori, 1996
Video
29:23
Courtesy of the Artist and Sean Kelly Gallery
Lee Bul
(South Korea, b. 1964)
Sternbau No. 5, 2007
Crystal, glass, and acrylic beads on nickel-chrome wire, stainless steel and aluminum armature
56 ⅝ x 35 ½ x 31 ½ inches
Private Collection
Farxiyo Jaamac
(Somalia/Canada, b. 1985)
black girls live in outer space too series, 2017
android girl, 2016
Archival inkjet print
31 x 48 inches
Private Collection
Farxiyo Jaamac
(Somalia/Canada, b. 1985)
black girls live in outer space too series, 2017
iftin, 2018
Archival inkjet print
29 ½ x 48 inches
Private Collection
Yinka Shonibare, MBE
(England, b. 1962, lives and works in the United Kingdom and Nigeria)
Cloud 9, 1999-2000
Dutch wax-print cotton textile, fiberglass figure, helmet, flagpole and flag
Figure: 72 x 24 ½ x 19 inches
Flag: 72 x 36 inches
Collection of Neuberger Berman
Mikael Owunna
(United States, b. 1990)
Infinite Essence series, 2018
Sam, 2018
Aluminum metal print
40 x 40 x 2 inches
Courtesy of the Artist
Mikael Owunna
(United States, b. 1990)
Infinite Essence series, 2018
Emem, 2018
Aluminum metal print
40 x 60 x 2 inches
Courtesy of the Artist
Juliana Huxtable
(United States, b. 1987)
Lil’ Marvel, 2015
Archival inkjet print
40 x 30 inches
Courtesy of Salon 94
Beatriz Cortez
(El Salvador, b. 1970, lives and works in the United States)
detail of The Boxes of Wonder, 2015
The Fortune Teller (Kaqchikel edition)
Wood, mechanical bird, push button, thermal printer, Arduino Uno, paper
12 x 12 x 4 inches
Courtesy of the artist and Commonwealth and Council, Los Angeles
Zak Ové
(England, b. 1966)
Sky Lark, 2017
Vintage fairground ride, resin cast masks, mannequin, acrylic wings, trumpets
80 ¼ × 63 ¾ × 94 ½ inches
Collection of Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson, 21c Museum Hotel
Lola Flash
(United States, b. 1959)
Syzygy, 2019
Aluminum metal print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the Artist
Cannupa Hanska Luger
(United States – Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, Lakota, b. 1979)
Future Ancestral Technologies: araxooxí, 2018-19
Video, ceramic, steel, wool, felt, fiber, found objects
Courtesy of the Artist
Zak Ové
(England, b. 1966)
Nubian Return, 2011
Mixed media including seventies rootstein mannequin, aircraft fuselage, telephone box shelter, metal signage
98 ½ x 59 x 15 ¾ inches
Courtesy of Zak Ové Studio and Vigo Gallery, London
Morehshin Allahyari
(Iran, b. 1985, lives and works in the United States)
She Who Sees the Unknown: Huma, 2016
3D-printed black resin sculpture, clear resin talismans
Sculpture: 12 x 6 x 5 inches
Talismans: 6 ¾ x 4 x ¾ inches
HD single-channel video, 6:05 minutes
Courtesy of the Artist and Upfor Gallery, Portland, Oregon