Utopian Imagination at Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice
The Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice in New York presents 'Utopian Imagination', the final exhibition in a trilogy curated by Jaishri Abichandani. The show features 14 artists exploring futuristic narratives through reimagined landscapes, transformed bodies, and expanded spaces, blending science fiction and magic. Works include Saks Afridi's 'The Prayer Catcher' (2019), Firelei Báez's 'Adjusting the Moon' (2019), Mariko Mori's video 'Miko No Inori' (1996), Lee Bul's 'Sternbau No. 5' (2007), Farxiyo Jaamac's 'Black girls live in outer space too' (2017), Yinka Shonibare's 'Cloud 9' (1999-2000), Beatriz Cortez's 'The Boxes of Wonder' (2015), Zak Ové's 'Nubian Return' (2011) and 'Sky Lark' (2017), and Cannupa Hanska Luger's 'Future Ancestral Technologies araxooxí'. The trilogy began with 'Perilous Bodies' (spring 2019) and continued with 'Radical Love' (summer 2019). Abichandani cites Naomi Klein on the disconnect between social engagement and policy since the civil rights era. The exhibition uses the metaphor of flight to address race, privilege, and climate change. Colors indigo and orange are employed based on Indian rasa theory. The show runs until December 7, 2019.
Key facts
- Exhibition titled 'Utopian Imagination' at Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice, New York
- Curated by Jaishri Abichandani
- Final show of a trilogy, following 'Perilous Bodies' (spring 2019) and 'Radical Love' (summer 2019)
- Features 14 artists: Saks Afridi, Firelei Báez, Mariko Mori, Lee Bul, Farxiyo Jaamac, Yinka Shonibare, Beatriz Cortez, Zak Ové, Cannupa Hanska Luger, and others
- Works include Saks Afridi's 'The Prayer Catcher' (2019), part of 'SpaceMosque' series
- Firelei Báez's 'Adjusting the Moon (The right non-imperative clarities)' (2019) features Ciguapas from Dominican folklore
- Mariko Mori's video 'Miko No Inori' (1996) shows the artist as a cyborg shaman girl
- Lee Bul's 'Sternbau No. 5' (2007) is a tribute to architect Bruno Taut
- Farxiyo Jaamac's series 'Black girls live in outer space too' (2017) places young Black Muslim women in extraterrestrial settings
- Yinka Shonibare's 'Cloud 9' (1999-2000) imagines Black populations colonizing space
- Beatriz Cortez's 'The Boxes of Wonder' (2015) involves Maya community wishes
- Zak Ové's 'Nubian Return' (2011) and 'Sky Lark' (2017) address Nubian culture and diaspora
- Cannupa Hanska Luger's 'Future Ancestral Technologies araxooxí' includes video and three figures with ethnic and tech attire
- Exhibition runs until December 7, 2019
- Colors indigo and orange used based on Indian rasa theory
Entities
Artists
- Jaishri Abichandani
- Saks Afridi
- Firelei Báez
- Mariko Mori
- Lee Bul
- Farxiyo Jaamac
- Yinka Shonibare
- Beatriz Cortez
- Zak Ové
- Cannupa Hanska Luger
- Bruno Taut
- Naomi Klein
Institutions
- Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice
- Ford Foundation
- Kaqjay Molj
- Artribune
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Brooklyn
- India
- Pakistan
- Dominican Republic
- Korea
- Somalia
- Guatemala
- Maya