Nina Chanel Abney – “Winging It” at Jeffrey Deitch, L.A.

Nina Chanel Abney’s exhibit, Winging It at the Jeffrey Deitch Gallery in Los Angeles is a distinctive vision from an artist whose work takes universal themes of spiritual longing, community rituals, external validation, life’s uncertainty, and the way that people look for coping mechanisms to help satiate that longing for certainty and belonging. While these major themes could easily be a jumping off point for unnecessary complexity in the work, the artist here is able to express these complex ideas through the use of vibrant colors, imagery, and clearly articulated messaging. The artist has distilled down these complex ideas into work that seems to have its own visual vocabulary. There is nothing superfluous here. The imagery used is simple and direct, yet still maintains the ability to convey layers of meaning to observers.

The artist has distilled down these complex ideas into work that seems to have its own visual vocabulary

Through the use of religious iconography, which when expressed here almost has the quality of images that one might see in a children’s book, the message that’s presented within the context of the imagery pops-out like warriors from a Trojan horse. The deceptive simplicity of the visual elements are an incredibly efficient vehicle for the complexity that lies beneath the surface.

When the “peace and blessings” message is paired with a price tag of $100, we see the juxtaposition of the sacred and secular, of commerce and religion. The viewer is presented with an example of how these seemingly opposed forces have created an uneasy relationship between capital, community, and religion.

In a piece that uses a Tyra Banks quote of “I was rooting for you…” centered in between what appears to be a church congregation, we are a witness to the blending of pop culture and religion, of how, in our world, the inflated power of media personalities have, in a very real way, replaced our religious inclinations. We are bowing at the altar of influence.

Theres is also the sense of belonging and surviving, in the scenes of community. A family reunion, the interior of a laundromat, and church pews give a shared sense of experience. Despite the uncertainty and longing, we are all in it together, and figuring it out as we go.