Both personal and universal, Harris’ multimedia works weave together legacies of family dynamics, racial discrimination and queer historiesGathering photographs and installations from both his celebrated and lesser-known series, Our First and Last Love charts new connections across the artistic practice of New York–based artist Lyle Ashton Harris (born 1965). Inspired by his adolescence divided between New York City and Dar es Salaam, Harris explores the complexities of African and African American collective identity while forging his own personal narrative as a queer Black man. The retrospective exhibition chronicles Harris’ approach to representation and self-portraiture while tracing central themes and formal techniques in his work over the last 35 years. Central to this collection are Harris’ most recently completed pieces. Titled Shadow Works, these multimedia assemblages set photographic prints amid Ghanaian funerary textiles, shells, pottery and locks of the artist’s hair. In the exhibition and the corresponding catalog, the pieces function as starting points for thematic groups of Harris’ other works. Juxtaposed with handwritten notes and family photographs, these arrangements underscore Harris’ layered approach to his practice. Lyle Ashton Harris has cultivated a diverse artistic practice ranging from photography and collage to installation and performance art. His work explores intersections between the personal and the political, examining the impact of ethnicity, gender, fame, and desire on the contemporary social and cultural dynamic. He received his MFA from the California Institute of the Arts, and attended the Whitney Museum of American Art Independent Studies Program. His work has been exhibited worldwide, including at the Whitney; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; 52nd Venice Biennial, and São Paulo Biennial in 2016, among others. He is the recipient of the 2014 David C. Driskell Prize from the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, and a 2016 fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. He currently lives and works in New York City and is an associate professor of art at New York University. Publisher: Gregory R. Miller & Company Publish Date: September 10, 2024 Pages: 168 Dimensions: 10.3 X 11.7 X 0.8 inches | 3.05 pounds Language: English Type: Hardcover EAN/UPC: 9781941366653 BISAC Categories: Individual Artists - Monographs, Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - General, American - African American
