About the Exhibit
It’s kind of crazy to think about Derek Fordjour’s meteoric rise. His first gallery show was only in Feburary 2019, and this exhibit - The House Always Wins, was his first show in the UK.
Before a visitor even steps foot in the gallery (Josh Lilley), they’re met with a window display of “1500 individual units populated with miniature handblown glass balloons and figurines cast in plaster, dirt, resin and iron.” (source).
Inside continues Fordjour’s exhibit that spans across both floors of the gallery, with a majority of the show in the basement (one of Josh Lilley’s more unique traits).
The House Always Wins references the world of gambling in casinos - a theme Fordjour has incorporated into many of his works.
“Fordjour uses imagery of carnivals, sporting contests, casinos, and games to grapple with complex issues like race and societal inequality in a “visually rich and accessible way.” - Galerie Magazine (source)
“More than a gambling term or an economic principle, within the context of Fordjour’s work the idea of The House Always Wins is also an emotional state, one that questions practical notions of fairness and equality alongside holistic, societal notions of opportunity and progress.” (source)
“Fordjour’s new paintings depict competitors and performers, protected and elevated by their uniforms, proud of their accomplishments and risking it all.” (source)
About the Artist
Derek Fordjour has quite an impressive academic record. He graduated from undergrad at Morehouse College, then went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Art Education from Harvard University, and an MFA in painting at Hunter College.
“Fordjour belongs to a group of African Americans, in their late thirties and forties, whose inventive approaches to black narratives are revitalising figurative art, and, in 2019, are achieving unprecedented institutional support and exposure.” Financial Times (source)
He's Represented by the following galleries:
Night Gallery - Los Angeles
Petzel Gallery - New York
Josh Lilley Gallery - London
He just recently had his first major solo museum show at the Contemporary Art Museum in St. Louis.
