On View
Ghanaian Artist Patrick Quarm Weaves Together Vibrant Tapestries That Reflect His Personal Experiences—See Works Here
Quarm earned his MFA in Texas before returning to his native country, where he lives and works.
Caroline Goldstein
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As galleries and art institutions around the world begin to reopen, we are spotlighting individual shows—online and IRL—that are worth your attention.
“Patrick Quarm: Salvaged Imperial”
through October 3, 2020 at Albertz Benda, New York
What the gallery says: “The title of the exhibition is derived from Quarm’s practice of ‘collecting memories,’ which he refers to as salvaging: gathering his father’s stories of growing up in postcolonial Ghana, and accumulating his own experiences as a young man navigating multiple cultural and social spheres between Africa and the United States. ‘Imperial’ is a term the artist uses to describe his hybrid protagonists—constantly adapting, merging, and evolving throughout time and history.”
Why it’s worth a look: In the Ghanian-based artist’s first New York solo show, Patrick Quarm literally weaves together aspects of his identity and experience as a Black man living in Africa and in the United States. The works are sculptural tapestries made from layers of paint and textiles; from the side, two distinct canvases are visible, while from the front, a singular cohesive image emerges.
Quarm also uses African wax prints in his work, alluding to the complicated history of the fabric and its Dutch colonial legacy.
“My task or my duty as an artist is to strip each layer after the other to bring clarity, to understand the past and how the past shapes the present,” the artist writes.
What it looks like:
Installation view, “Patrick Quarm: Salvaged Imperial” at albertz benda, New York.
Patrick Quarm, BRUIT OF A SOVEREIGN (2020). Courtesy of the artist and albertz benda, NY.
Patrick Quarm, LEDGER OF TRUTH (2020). Courtesy of the artist and albertz benda, NY.
Patrick Quarm, LEDGER OF TRUTH (2020). Courtesy of the artist and albertz benda, NY.
Patrick Quarm, INVINCIBLE DILEMMA (2020). Courtesy of the artist and albertz benda, NY.
Patrick Quarm, BETHINK THYSELF (2020). Courtesy of the artist and albertz benda, NY.
Patrick Quarm, BETHINK THYSELF (2020). Courtesy of the artist and albertz benda, NY.
Patrick Quarm, YELLOW SISI (2020). Courtesy of the artist and albertz benda, NY.
Patrick Quarm, YELLOW SISI (2020). Courtesy of the artist and albertz benda, NY.
Installation view, “Patrick Quarm: Salvaged Imperial” at albertz benda, New York.
Patrick Quarm, EYE OF THE BEHOLDER (2020). Courtesy of the artist and albertz benda, NY.
Patrick Quarm, LACED BODY 1 (2020). Courtesy of the artist and albertz benda, NY.
Patrick Quarm, LACED BODY 1 (2020). Courtesy of the artist and albertz benda, NY.
Patrick Quarm, BARIMA (2020). Courtesy of the artist and albertz benda, NY.
Patrick Quarm, LACED BODY 2 (2020). Courtesy of the artist and albertz benda, NY.
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