past exhibits

AFTERBURN - Willie Cole: selected works 1997-2004

May 12, 2005- August 6, 2005

Willie Cole’s interest in the synchronicity of African and American cultures and the found object assemblage have formed the basis of the expansive body of his work over the last 20 years.

In his assemblage, installation and wall works, Willie Cole (b. 1955) transforms ordinary, domestic objects such as hair dryers, bicycle parts, iron and ironing boards, high-heeled shoes and lawn jockeys into powerful works embedded with references to the African American experience and inspired by West African religion, mythology and culture. The appropriation of discarded mass-produced American products, objects that have themselves acquired a “pre-history” through their earlier handling and use, become the raw material of Cole’s creations.

Drawing on his personal experience and collective cultural histories, his work is a playful, inquisitive and intelligent approach to synthesizing the physical and spiritual worlds. Originating at the University of Wyoming Art Museum, AFTERBURN will be on view at the California African American Museum in Los Angeles from May12, 2005 through August 6, 2005.

sampling of works presented