Derek Fordjour Explained

Derek Fordjour
Birth Place:Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Education:Morehouse College,
Harvard University,
Hunter College

Derek Fordjour (born 1974) is an American interdisciplinary artist and educator of Ghanaian heritage[1] who works in collage, video/film, sculpture, and painting. Fordjour lives and works in New York City.

Early life and education

Derek Fordjour was born in 1974 in Memphis, Tennessee. His parents were both Ghanaian immigrants.

Fordjour received an MFA from Hunter College,[2] an Ed. M in Arts Education from Harvard University,[3] and a B.A. from Morehouse College. Fordjour is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He was commissioned by Alpha Phi Alpha to create a portrait entitled An Experiment in Brotherhood to commemorate the founding of the fraternity.[4]

Career

He was appointed the Alex Katz Chair at Cooper Union in spring 2020,[5] and since 2018 he has served as a core critic at Yale University School of Art.[6]

In 2014, Fordjour was working with sports imagery in his art, which served as metaphors for inequality.

In 2020, his series of artworks in the exhibition titled "Shelter" were created during the self-quarantine period due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The works in "Shelter" examined the privileges of security as well as confinement.

In 2021, the artist had a solo exhibition at Pond Society in Shanghai, China, where his paintings looked at the gamification of social structures and vulnerability. In these paintings, Fordjour incorporated layers of the Financial Times. On his use of the paper in his practice, Fordjour explained in Ocula Magazine: 'The Financial Times is making an effort to differentiate itself from the pool of other newsprints with its distinctive color. The idea of individuation—the desire to distinguish oneself in the face of being stereotyped or grouped—has a tension that I identify with.'[7]

His work has been exhibited in numerous venues, including the Contemporary Art Museum in St. Louis (2020), the Nasher Museum of Art (2019),[8] and the Whitney Museum of Contemporary Art (2018–2019).[9] He has received commissions for public projects, including a permanent installation for the Metropolitan Transit Authority of New York City at 145th Street Subway Station,[10] and the Whitney Museum Billboard Project in 2018.[9]

Personal life

In July 2022, Fordjour married Alexis Hoag-Fordjour at the Arthur Ross Terrace and Garden at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in Manhattan.[11]

Awards, honors, and collections

He was awarded the 2016 Sugarhill Museum Artist-in-Residence,[12] the 2017 Sharpe Walentas Studio Program[13] in New York City, and the 2018 Deutsche Bank NYFA Fellowship Award.[14]

His work appears in several public and private collections, including the Studio Museum in Harlem,[15] Brooklyn Museum,[16] Pérez Art Museum Miami[17] Dallas Museum of Art,[18] the Whitney Museum,[19] and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Select exhibitions

Selected press and reviews

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Bradley . Adam . 2022-07-08 . The Historically Black College Reconsiders the Studio Art Program . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-08-09 . 0362-4331.
  2. Web site: Hunter College MFA Spring 2016 Thesis Exhibitions — Hunter College. 2016-12-12. www.hunter.cuny.edu.
  3. Web site: Black Sorority Project. 6 October 2010. thinktalk.com. 12 July 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110712185018/http://www.thinktalk.com/show/black_sorority_project. dead.
  4. Web site: The Jewels of Alpha Phi Alpha . 6 October 2010 . Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Gamma Phi chapter.
  5. Web site: February 6, 2021 . Derek Fordjour now represented by David Kordansky Gallery . 2022-08-09 . artdaily.cc . English.
  6. Web site: March 4, 2019 . NLE honors Derek Fordjour! . 2022-08-09 . NoLongerEmpty . en-US.
  7. Web site: 2021-06-25. Derek Fordjour's Vibrant Interactions. 2021-06-25. ocula.com. en.
  8. Web site: Signing Day . 2021-03-12 . Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University . en-US.
  9. Web site: Derek Fordjour: Half Mast . 2021-03-12 . whitney.org . en.
  10. Web site: MTA - Arts & Design NYCT Permanent Art . 2021-03-12 . web.mta.info.
  11. News: Decaille . Nia . 2022-07-22 . With Lots of Eye Contact, Something Clicked . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-11-03 . 0362-4331.
  12. Web site: AIR Derek Fordjour . 2021-03-12 . Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art & Storytelling . en-US.
  13. Web site: Archived copy . 2021-03-12 . thestudioprogram.com . 2019-02-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190219151446/http://thestudioprogram.com/artist/derek-fordjour/ . dead .
  14. Web site: Derek Fordjour 2018 Deutsche Bank NYFA Fellow . 2021-03-12 . www.db.com.
  15. Web site: 2018-10-10. Peggy Cooper Cafritz Bequeaths Over 400 Works to the Studio Museum. 2021-03-12. The Studio Museum in Harlem. en.
  16. Web site: Brooklyn Museum. 2021-03-12. www.brooklynmuseum.org.
  17. Web site: Pérez Art Museum Miami Announces New Acquisitions from Eleven Artists for Permanent Collection. 2021-03-12. www.pamm.org.
  18. Web site: Dallas Museum of Art Debuts New Acquisitions in New Exhibition "Contemporary Art + Design" Dallas Museum of Art. 2021-03-12. dma.org.
  19. Web site: Derek Fordjour Half Mast. 2021-03-12. whitney.org. en.
  20. Web site: Rogers. Simon. josh-lilley. 2021-03-09. josh-lilley. en.
  21. Web site: Derek Fordjour - JRRNNYS - Exhibitions - Night Gallery. 2021-03-09. www.nightgallery.ca.
  22. Web site: Derek Fordjour: Half Mast. 2021-03-09. whitney.org. en.
  23. Web site: Derek Fordjour: Camelot Study. 2021-03-09. BAM.org. en. 2022-07-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20220706200303/https://www.bam.org/visual-art/2018/derek-fordjour-camelot-study. dead.
  24. Web site: 2018-02-23. Ritual. 2021-03-09. Nina Johnson. en-US.
  25. Web site: Art Parade Derek Forjour. 2021-03-09. Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art & Storytelling. en-US.
  26. Web site: Luce Gallery. Design. DSI. lucegallery.com. 2016-12-12.
  27. Web site: Eight Paintings - PAPILLION. www.papillionart.com. 2016-12-12.
  28. Web site: UPPER ROOM - Derek Fordjour - Exhibitions - Robert Blumenthal Gallery. www.robertblumenthal.com. 2016-12-12.
  29. Web site: Rodney. Seph. 2020-12-16. Derek Fordjour Conjures a Heavenly World. 2021-03-14. Hyperallergic. en-US.
  30. News: 2020-11-27. Marching to the Beat of Their Own Drum. en-US. The New York Times. 2021-03-14. 0362-4331.
  31. News: Mitter. Siddhartha. 2020-11-19. Derek Fordjour, From Anguish to Transcendence. en-US. The New York Times. 2021-03-14. 0362-4331.
  32. Web site: Battaglia. Andy. 2020-11-10. Best Practices: Derek Fordjour's Art Stares Down Shared Fears and Vulnerabilities. 2021-03-14. ARTnews.com. en-US.
  33. News: Wullschläger . Jackie . 20 October 2020 . Derek Fordjour on painting the African-American experience . . subscription . 2021-03-14.
  34. Web site: Steer. Emily. 2020-10-16. Derek Fordjour Uses Sport as the Perfect Allegory for Organised Society. 2021-03-14. ELEPHANT. en-US.
  35. Web site: Germain. Jacqui. 2020-06-03. Derek Fordjour Honors Disenfranchised Communities in His Vibrant, Layered Work. 2021-03-14. Artsy. en.
  36. News: Wullschläger . Jackie . 8 May 2020 . Painting crowds, or the lack of them, from Monet to Fordjour . . subscription . 2021-03-14.
  37. Web site: Radley. Jack. 2020-04-06. Derek Fordjour Considers the Precariousness of Shelter. 2021-03-14. Hyperallergic. en-US.
  38. Web site: "Derek Fordjour: Shelter" at Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis. 2021-03-14. www.artforum.com. January 2020 . en-US.
  39. Web site: Henderson. Jane. Beyond white walls: CAM exhibition examines 'what we all seek'. 2021-03-14. STLtoday.com. 17 January 2020 . en.
  40. Web site: Wullschläger. Jackie. 2019-09-26. Four exhibitions bring African American narratives to London. 2021-03-14. www.ft.com. en-GB.
  41. Web site: Armstrong. Annie. 2019-04-29. Petzel Gallery Now Represents Derek Fordjour. 2021-03-14. ARTnews.com. en-US.
  42. Web site: 2019-03-05. Derek Fordjour. 2021-03-14. Galerie. en-US.
  43. Web site: 2019-02-15. Artist Derek Fordjour Revels in the Game Toppling Expectations As He Goes. 2021-03-14. Cultured Magazine. en-US.
  44. Web site: 2019-01-31. Datebook: Paintings of sport and art inspired by convenience stores and confession. 2021-03-14. Los Angeles Times. en-US.
  45. News: Crow. Kelly. 2019-01-30. 'I Don't Want to Be a Blip': An Artist on the Rise Adjusts to the Spotlight. en-US. Wall Street Journal. 2021-03-14. 0099-9660.
  46. Web site: 2018-12-20. 8 Art Advisors Tell Us Which Artists You Should Be Watching (and Buying) in 2019. 2021-03-14. Artnet News. en-US.
  47. Web site: Historic Bequest: Late Arts Patron Peggy Cooper Cafritz Gifted 650+ Works of Art to the Studio Museum in Harlem and Duke Ellington School of the Arts. 10 October 2018 . 2021-03-14. en-US.
  48. Web site: 2018-10-09. Price Check! Here's What Sold—and for How Much—at Frieze London and Frieze Masters 2018. 2021-03-14. Artnet News. en-US.
  49. Web site: Weber. Jasmine. 2018-10-09. Studio Museum in Harlem and DC Arts High School Receive Historic Gift of Over 650 Contemporary Works. 2021-03-14. Hyperallergic. en-US.
  50. Web site: Tully. Judd. 2018-10-03. Even as Brexit Looms, Galleries Notch Sales on Frieze London's Opening Day. 2021-03-14. ARTnews.com. en-US.
  51. Web site: 6 Innovators Shaping The Culture of NYC. 2021-03-14. gothammag.com. en.
  52. Web site: Urbani. Shay. 2018-05-25. Arts-centered New York Diversion Program for Youth Displays High Success Rate. 2021-03-14. Juvenile Justice Information Exchange. en-US.
  53. Web site: Rodney. Seph. 2018-05-05. Wandering the Artist Studios of Dumbo. 2021-03-14. Hyperallergic. en-US.
  54. Web site: 2018-02-11. Best of Zona Maco 2018. 2021-03-14. SURFACE. en-US.
  55. Web site: Sussman. Anna Louie. 2018-02-11. What Sold at Zona Maco. 2021-03-14. Artsy. en.
  56. Web site: Rodney. Seph. 2018-02-09. The Political Truths That Ground Our Athletic Heroes. 2021-03-14. Hyperallergic. en-US.
  57. Web site: Art Los Angeles Contemporary fair perks up, but is it enough?. 2021-03-14. www.theartnewspaper.com. 31 January 2018 .
  58. Web site: 2017-12-18. How Artist Derek Fordjour Turned Cardboard and Newspaper Into a Carnival Funhouse. 2021-03-14. Artnet News. en-US.
  59. Web site: Rodney. Seph. 2017-11-22. A Dreamy Carnival at the Children's Museum in Harlem. 2021-03-14. Hyperallergic. en-US.
  60. Web site: Evans. Kelley D.. 2017-10-06. The portrait of an artist: Derek Fordjour dissects race, sports and culture. 2021-03-14. Andscape. en-US.
  61. Web site: 2017-08-02. Artist Derek Fordjour's Immersive Wonderland Dedicated to Children. 2021-03-14. Galerie. en-US.
  62. Web site: Sports Are a Metaphor for Inequality in These Colorful Paintings. 2021-03-14. www.vice.com. 21 June 2017 . en.
  63. Web site: 2015-03-21. Review: 'And There Is an End' -- but no end to its goofy appeal. 2021-03-14. Los Angeles Times. en-US.
  64. Web site: Datebook: Ceramic installations, Korean and American minimalism, punk-inspired pieces. Miranda. Carolina A.. Los Angeles Times. 15 January 2016. 2016-12-12.
  65. News: Steadman . Ryan . 2016-02-03 . Nine Overachieving New Yorkers You Must Date . en-US . Observer . 2016-12-12.
  66. News: From Derek Fordjour, a Sense of Abandoned Ritual. Cotter. Holland. 2015-11-19. The New York Times. 0362-4331. 2016-12-12.
  67. Web site: 'And There Is an End' -- but no end to its goofy appeal. Pagel. David. Los Angeles Times. 21 March 2015. 2016-12-12.
  68. Web site: DEREK FORDJOUR The Big Game. www.brooklynrail.org. 3 October 2014. 2016-12-12.
  69. Web site: September 29, 2014 . Artist Derek Fordjour Has a Lesson for the Sports World • EBONY . 2021-03-14 . EBONY . en-US.
  70. Web site: On the "A" w/Souleo: The Sports World Could Learn From Derek Fordjour's Artworks. Journalist. Peter 'Souleo' Wright. curator. 2014-09-24. The Huffington Post. 2016-12-12.
  71. Web site: 2014-01-03. 40 amazing black artists to watch in 2014. 2021-03-14. TheGrio.

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