Simultaneously with the overview of Jacob Lawrence (1917–2000) at Kunsthal KAdE, Nina Chanel Abney (1982) shows an installation developed especially for the Elleboogkerk. The work combines existing sculptures and a neon piece with large vinyl canvases tailored to the dimensions of the Elleboogkerk, on which Abney displays new compositions in her characteristic style of abstract, emblem-like figurative image components, derived from her daily experiences. In her dynamic and colourful work, Nina Chanel Abney addresses a wide range of subjects, from pop and street culture to political statements.
Nina Chanel Abney is an American artist based in New York. She was born in 1982 in Harvey, Illinois. In 2004, she obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) from Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois. And in 2007, she obtained her Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) from Parsons School of Design in New York.
A combination of representation and abstraction
Abney's paintings combine representation and abstraction, capturing the frenetic pace of contemporary culture. Her works address diverse subjects such as race, celebrity, religion, politics, sex, and art history. They avoid linear narratives in favour of loose storytelling. The effect is an exuberant image with a kind of spontaneous order, in which time and space are compressed and identity is interchangeable.
Her distinctive, bold style takes advantage of the continuous stream of images being poured out on us in the 21st century - in part through the Internet. Abney intertwines contemporary images by paying homage to artists of the past: the sophisticated color theories of Matisse, the legacy of Cubists like Picasso and Léger and the social imagery of Harlem Renaissance greats like Aaron Douglas and Jacob Lawrence. A booklet will be produced and available at the Elbow Church (€5).