Kahlil Robert Irving's Archaeology of the Present at Walker Art Center explores ceramics as contemporary excavation

Kahlil Robert Irving's exhibition, Archaeology of the Present, is on display at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis until January 21, 2024. The artist, based in St. Louis, crafts ceramic assemblages that reimagine common items as archaeological finds. His creations include floor sculptures that mimic cracked pavement or starry skies, featuring embedded cultural references and news headlines. Notably, the artwork Streetview | Pool & Paper (Underground Starways) consists of 140 tiles designed to resemble newspaper pages. Irving's technique is likened to "making instant poetry" through collage, reflecting on current political issues while subtly addressing the Black experience. Themes of loss, particularly following his grandmother's death, also permeate his work. Previously, his pieces were exhibited at Gagosian in 2021 and Callicoon Fine Arts in 2019.