Justin Randolph Thompson's Performance Art Explores Labor, History, and African-American Experience
Justin Randolph Thompson, a multidisciplinary artist, explores the influence of collective history on contemporary society through his immersive creations. His exhibition "Moldy Figs," held at Momenta Art in 2015, showcased a shoeshine merry-go-round adorned with gold-leafing, crafted by a team of six. Originally from Peekskill, New York, Thompson has resided in Florence, Italy, for the past fifteen years, where he teaches at the Lorenzo de' Medici Institute and Santa Reparata International School of Art. During July 2015, he participated as an artist-in-residence at Centrale Fies, where he developed "Mi Daran Tomba...e Pace...Forse," reflecting on Leontyne Price's legacy. His work, which includes a triumphal arch built with instruments in collaboration with Banda Sociale Dro e Ceniga, addresses themes of class hierarchies, labor, and cultural contamination, drawing inspiration from Melvin B. Tolson's metaphors.
Key facts
- Justin Randolph Thompson exhibited "Moldy Figs" at Momenta Art in Bushwick from May 22 to June 28, 2015
- Thompson has lived in Florence, Italy for 15 years and teaches at Lorenzo de' Medici Institute and Santa Reparata International School of Art
- In July 2015, Thompson was artist-in-residence at Centrale Fies, a hydroelectric power plant between Milan and Venice
- Thompson's performance "Mi Daran Tomba...e Pace...Forse" engages with opera singer Leontyne Price's historic 1960s performances at La Scala
- Thompson collaborates regularly with his brother Jason Thompson and artist Bradly Dever Treadaway
- The gold-leafing project in "Moldy Figs" references the minstrel song "Oh, Dem Golden Slippers" from Thompson's childhood
- Thompson's work examines labor, class hierarchies, and African-American history while resisting racial categorization
- The artist draws inspiration from poet Melvin B. Tolson's metaphors about historical cycles and democracy
Entities
Artists
- Justin Randolph Thompson
- Jessica Holmes
- Jason Thompson
- Bradly Dever Treadaway
- Leontyne Price
- Melvin B. Tolson
Institutions
- Momenta Art
- Lorenzo de' Medici Institute
- Santa Reparata International School of Art
- Centrale Fies
- La Scala
- University of Tennessee
- Banda Sociale Dro e Ceniga
- Fulbright Fellowship
Locations
- Bushwick
- Peekskill, New York
- Florence, Italy
- Milan
- Venice
- United States
- Italy
- Spain