Simultaneously with the overview of Jacob Lawrence (1917–2000) At Kunsthal KAdE, a new installation by the American artist was on view at the Elleboogkerk Nina Chanel Abney (1982), which she developed specifically for this particular space. The work Heaven's Hotline combines existing sculptures and a neon work with large vinyl canvases tailored to the size of the Elbow Church. On these, Abney displays new compositions in her signature style of abstracted, emblematic figurative visual components drawn from her everyday experiences. In her dynamic and colorful work, Nina Chanel Abney addresses a wide range of subjects, from pop and street culture to political stances.
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.
Her works cover topics as diverse as religion, politics, art history, racial identity, sex and fame. She avoids linear narratives in favor of loose narratives. The effect is a lavish image with a spontaneous order, in which time and space are compressed and identity is interchangeable.
Her distinctive, bold style draws on the continuous stream of images that are poured upon us in the 21st century—in part via the internet. Abney weaves together contemporary images by paying homage to artists of the past: Matisse’s refined color theories, the legacy of Cubists such as Picasso and Léger, and the social imagery of Harlem Renaissance giants like Aaron Douglas and Jacob Lawrence, whose work was recently on view at Kunsthal KAdE.