Soul Glow: A Black Experience

January 20 - February 18. 2017

“My most recent work is a response to discoveries made while exploring the notion of the ‘black experience.’ The objective continues to be the use of memory as a spark toward an investigation, which could lead me to reconsider issues in new ways. The difference is that the more recent work is anchored in a more formal aesthetic.

My goal was to take a break from work that, at times, seemed laden with cultural symbolism. A shift from the literal could possibly bring clarity. My hope was to position myself in a more fertile place for exploration and discovery. I have found from past experiences that my use of abstraction always seemed to lead me to such a place, eventually revealing a kind of essence of what I’m attempting to communicate. This is very important as I continue on the path of exploring identity.

While constructing the more literal work, I was constantly making visual connections to my interest in ancient architecture, modern design, and abstract painting; more importantly, these were interests that were visually apparent in my not so recent work. As my work in the studio transitions from being more like the construction of objects and symbols toward a more immediate, intuitive, abstracted approach, certain shapes and designs are becoming more prevalent than others.

Lately, I have become obsessed with circles and chevron-like shapes. I’m beginning to see them as symbols that represent the black condition in America. Maybe the circle represents the vicious cycle that blacks find themselves in due to social-economic and racial issues. Maybe the chevron-like shape creates a directional flow; representing past, present and the future of black in America.” – Darius Hill