Artist Ebony G. Patterson’s Lush and Provocative Garden Installation in North Carolina Is a Delight for the Eyes—See It Here
While museums around the globe are closed to the public, we
are spotlighting each day an inspiring exhibition that was
previously on view. Even if you can’t see it in person, allow us to
give you a virtual look.
“Ebony G. Patterson: … while the dew is still on the
roses… ”
Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, North
Carolina
What the museum says: Jamaican-born artist
Ebony G. Patterson’s “neo-baroque” works “address violence,
masculinity, ‘bling,’ visibility, and invisibility within the
post-colonial context of her native Kingston and within black youth
culture globally. This exhibition focuses on the role that gardens
have played in her practice, referenced as spaces of both beauty
and burial, environments filled with fleeting aesthetics and
mourning.”
Still from Ebony G.
Patterson’s … three kings weep… (2018). © Ebony G.
Patterson. All work courtesy of the artist and Monique Meloche
Gallery, Chicago.
Why it’s worth a look: A lush floral landscape
takes over the galleries, with tendrils and vines, papered over in
deep purple wallpaper, snaking across the walls. In the center of
the gallery, huge red and orange blossoms hold court, surrounded by
Patterson’s textile and mixed-media assemblages.
Patterson doesn’t skimp on glitz and sparkles, which are used to
transcend gender boundaries. A pair of heels with intricately
carved wooden platforms lay on a bed of colorfully beaded petals.
And nearby, a pair of metallic blue lace-up combat boots are
festooned with epaulette tassels.
The artist has spoken about using color and pattern as a way to
assert dignity—especially through dress and in performance. In a
video titled … three kings weep… , three black
men sit ramrod straight against a Fragonard-esque backdrop of
butterflies and climbing roses. The men are clad in mixed patterns
of African wax prints and other vibrant textures. In the video,
they slowly undress themselves, peeling off layers as tears stream
down their faces.
What it looks like:
Installation view of “Ebony G.
Patterson: … while the dew is still on the roses… “. © Ebony
G. Patterson. All work courtesy of the artist and Monique Meloche
Gallery, Chicago. Photo by Sarah Lyon.
Installation view of “Ebony G.
Patterson: … while the dew is still on the roses… “. © Ebony
G. Patterson. All work courtesy of the artist and Monique Meloche
Gallery, Chicago. Photo by Sarah Lyon.
Installation view of Ebony G. Patterson
. . . while the dew is still on the roses . . . , Nasher Museum of
Art at Duke University, February – July 2020. © Ebony G. Patterson.
All work courtesy of the artist and Monique Meloche Gallery,
Chicago. Photo by Peter Paul Geoffrion.
Ebony G. Patterson, Dead Tree in a
Forest… (2013). © Ebony G. Patterson. Courtesy of the
artist and Monique Meloche Gallery, Chicago. Photo by Oriol
Tarridas.
Installation view of “Ebony G.
Patterson: … while the dew is still on the roses… “. © Ebony
G. Patterson. All work courtesy of the artist and Monique Meloche
Gallery, Chicago. Photo by Sarah Lyon.
Installation view of “Ebony G.
Patterson: … while the dew is still on the roses… “. © Ebony
G. Patterson. All work courtesy of the artist and Monique Meloche
Gallery, Chicago. Photo by Sarah Lyon.
Installation view of “Ebony G.
Patterson: … while the dew is still on the roses… “. © Ebony
G. Patterson. All work courtesy of the artist and Monique Meloche
Gallery, Chicago. Photo by Sarah Lyon.
Installation view of “Ebony G.
Patterson: … while the dew is still on the roses… “. © Ebony
G. Patterson. All work courtesy of the artist and Monique Meloche
Gallery, Chicago. Photo by Sarah Lyon.
Installation view of “Ebony G.
Patterson: … while the dew is still on the roses… “. ©
Ebony G. Patterson. All work courtesy of the artist and Monique
Meloche Gallery, Chicago. Photo by Peter Paul Geoffrion.
Installation view of “Ebony G.
Patterson: … while the dew is still on the roses… “. © Ebony
G. Patterson. All work courtesy of the artist and Monique Meloche
Gallery, Chicago. Photo by Sarah Lyon.
Installation view of “Ebony G.
Patterson: … while the dew is still on the roses… “. © Ebony
G. Patterson. All work courtesy of the artist and Monique Meloche
Gallery, Chicago. Photo by Peter Paul Geoffrion.
The post Artist Ebony G. Patterson’s Lush and Provocative
Garden Installation in North Carolina Is a Delight for the Eyes—See
It Here appeared first on artnet News.
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