Derek Fordjour Conjures a Heavenly World of Black Church

HYPERALLERGIC
By Seph Rodney

Derek Fordjour, “STRWMN” (2020) Acrylic, charcoal, cardboard, oil pastel and foil on newspaper mounted on canvas, framed: 87.25 x 67.25 inches Credit: All images courtesy the artist and Petzel, New York, all photos by Daniel Greer

In "Self Must Die," Fordjour’s penchant for lush colors and surfaces dovetails with the theme of churchified rituals of remembrance. If you grew up in the Black church as I did, upon walking into Petzel Gallery to see Derek Fordjour’s Self Must Die exhibition, you will recognize in the first gallery the hallmarks of the church. Fordjour has given us the variable shading, cut pile carpeting, a rigidly unforgiving wooden pew with a pocket in the back for hymnals and prayer books.... Self Must Die by Derek Fordjour continues at Petzel Gallery (456 West 18th Street, Chelsea, Manhattan) until December 19. [More]