This contemporary textile artwork features a striking juxtaposition of vibrant colors and bold geometric patterns. The central focus is the silhouette of two horses against a backdrop of intersecting stripes and blocks of neon yellow, green, and brown. The intricate weaving technique, with its alternating thick and thin lines, creates a sense of movement and energy. The overall composition has an abstract quality, yet the recognizable equine forms ground the piece in a representational subject matter. The artist's intention seems to be blending abstraction and figuration to evoke a dynamic and visually striking interpretation of the natural world. ...
Melding the figurative style of European Renaissance tapestries with the abstracted textiles of West Africa, Diedrick Brackens crafts visceral, evocative tapestries which trace Black and queer histories in America and their presence in contemporary society. Silhouettes of black figures dancing, embracing, or swimming are woven into the foreground of his dreamlike backdrops, full of vitality. The large-scale textile works are both deeply personal and allegorical. They are laden with poetic motifs from Brackens' own experiences of growing up in Mexia, Texas, such as catfish and specific fauna; whilst historical figures within the context of the American South, such as Black cowboys or Southern faith healers also surface in these tender tableaux— fusing intimate memories within larger archival threads of African American history. Building on the aesthetic and technical influence of weavers such as Anni Albers, Faith Ringgold, or the Gee’s Bend Quilt Collective, Brackens continues to develop a visually distinct style which is lyrical, delicate, and assured. ...
Various Small Fires (Los Angeles /Dallas /Seoul) began as a series of conversations with artists and curators in Esther Kim Varet’s Venice Beach kitchen while working on her doctoral dissertation. VSF debuted in Hollywood as an official gallery in 2015 with a roster of artists and its current Johnston MarkLee Architects-designed building. The Hollywood gallery contains three exhibition spaces, a unique sound corridor, and an outdoor gallery. VSF’s exhibition program explores several curatorial lines: climate, equality, and an international conversation. The gallery is known for offering artists debut shows, creating intergenerational conversations among the artists on its roster, and solidifying artists’ legacies within art history. In 2019, VSF opened a second location in the Hannam neighbourhood of Seoul, South Korea, followed recently this Spring by VSFs third outpost in Dallas, Texas. While Varet has very personal connections to both locations, they are also superlative art communities. These expansions emphasise the gallery’s commitment to innovation and global dialogue in the twenty-first century. In 2021, VSF became a member of the Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA). ...
