DeShawn Dumas's 'Holocene Extinction' at Ethan Cohen Gallery Confronts Extinction and Violence
From June 22 to July 24, 2017, DeShawn Dumas held his exhibition titled 'Holocene Extinction' at Ethan Cohen New York. The show featured large-scale pieces made with reflective Mylar, spray paint, and sealed surfaces. Some standout works were 'Once Upon the Amazon (Ayahuasca)', 'Destiny v. The Water Protectors', and 'Hold in Mind (Whiteness and Western Transcendence)', which delved into psychedelic themes and social issues. Dumas also tackled the links between Holocene extinction, climate change, and violence against African-Americans, particularly in 'Frames of War', a tribute to his half-brother who suffered from police violence. Other pieces like 'Untitled (Broken Windows Policy)' critiqued law enforcement, while 'Neoliberal Waltz' connected capitalism to genocide.
Key facts
- DeShawn Dumas's exhibition 'Holocene Extinction' ran from June 22 to July 24, 2017
- The show was held at Ethan Cohen New York at 291 West 19th Street in New York City
- Works featured materials like reflective Mylar, spray paint, glass, and thermoplastic
- The exhibition title references the Holocene epoch and species extinction due to climate change
- Dumas connected extinction themes to violence against African-Americans
- The installation 'Frames of War' memorialized the artist's half-brother killed in a police shooting
- Paintings included titles referencing social issues like 'Broken Windows Policy' and Black Elk's words
- The show demonstrated painting's capacity to unsettle conventions through formal and emotional layers
Entities
Artists
- DeShawn Dumas
- Black Elk
Institutions
- Ethan Cohen New York
- artcritical
Locations
- New York City
- United States