Acclaimed American artist Hebru Brantley has unveiled two new exhibitions at NANZUKA. Born in Chicago and based in Los Angeles, Brantley is world-renown for recontextualizing pop culture references with his proud Black heritage. By doing so, the artist seeks to challenge preconceived ideas around nostalgia, power and mental psyche and instill a sense of hope in his audience.
Housed at NANUKA’s 2G location, the series of paintings, drawings and sculptures ruminates on the question of manhood. By referencing popular characters, such as Batman and Robin, Brantley meditates on the pathway from adolescence to adulthood — with special emphasis on the shifts occurring in society due to changes in leadership roles and a collective confrontation of hyper-masculinity. The hero myth is one such question, where the artist asks, “‘Who are our leaders, who should we follow, and why?’”
Elsewhere at the otherworldly 3110NZ space, Brantley explores the idea of freedom. Two paintings, which on first glance can pass as a diptych painting, showcase his signature characters with folded arms. On each adjacent wall, there is another painting with the same figure in flight. The juxtaposition reflects on the notion of waiting for change, as opposed to being the change you want to see within the world.
To complement the shows, the artist has worked with Proom on a curated set of apparel that will be available at the 2G location. Additionally, Brantley also released “Flynamic duo,” a soft vinyl edition of 200, which was available to purchase via lottery.
“Mythos Opus Pt. 2” is on view at NANZUKA 2G until November 14, while “Mythos Opus Pt. 3” will be open until November 13. Both shows complement another Brantley exhibition, Mythos Opus Pt. 1, which recently concluded at MEGUMI OGITA Gallery.
Also on view, Centre Pompidou presents a retrospective exhibition on legendary Italian designer, Ettore Sottsass.
