CURTIS PATTERSON
A Notable Journey
A Notable Journey, 2019, Rocker Series, fabricated bronze, hot patina, 34 x 21 x 23 in.
Exhibition Details:
April 1- July 2
Reception: Friday, April 1st, 2022 6-9 PM
Laney Contemporary is pleased to present a solo exhibition by Atlanta-based artist Curtis Patterson. A Notable Journey highlights a selection of bronze and steel sculptures from the 1980s to today. Patterson’s unique command of materials and his dynamic compositions point toward an illustrious, decades-long career as a sculptor of engaging and often large-scale public works.
A native of Louisiana, Patterson’s experience of growing up during the Civil Rights Movement informs the subject matter and the symbolism in his work. Montgomery Bus Stop creates an environment that suggests the courage of activist Rosa Parks. Water for Mandela symbolizes the South African leader’s 27 years of incarceration. With inspirations in art history ranging from Hale Woodruff to Henry Moore, Patterson’s large scale sculptures and multi-dimensional wall works emphasize a spectrum of African diasporic experiences within the context of modern and contemporary art.
His abstract approach is also inspired by a longtime interest in improvisational jazz in that it encourages an open and interpretive dialog between the artist, the art work, and the viewer. Patterson’s 2021 series entitled Diasporic Reflections depicts intimate, mask-inspired wall reliefs representing each month of the year. Motifs and forms carry over into the ongoing RockerSeries. These slot-fitted, interlocking, geometric shapes provide balance and kinetic movement. Shango’s Friends highlights his continuous use of African symbols, such as the Yoruba double ax and double iron as visual elements that, in his words, “pay tribute to domestic labor implemented by people of African descent.” From Patterson’s late 1980’s series Unbroken Connections to his most recent work, his process acts as “a conduit to delineate ideas originating from the African continent.” A Notable Journey, highlights Curtis Patterson’s longstanding commitment to “raise consciousness about a people who have given so much of themselves.”
