Lauren Halsey Will Bring South Central LA’s Backyard Culture to London

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Lauren Halsey Will Bring South Central LA's Backyard Culture to London

As a fervent admirer of contemporary art, I am absolutely thrilled about Lauren Halsey‘s upcoming exhibitions! Her unique blend of culture, social issues, and surrealism is truly a breath of fresh air in the art world.

In May, Lauren Halsey shared news about creating a sculpture park in South Central Los Angeles, California, where she grew up. This will be a short-term project inspired by the visual style of her large-scale rooftop exhibition that was displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City last year.

Halsey is set to navigate the modern art scene once more, unveiling a complex exhibit titled “emajendat” at the Serpentine in London. This marks the artist’s debut institutional exhibition within the United Kingdom. The gallery space will be reimagined as a vibrant and immersive “funk garden,” with Halsey’s unique artistic style infusing the installation to harmonize with the nearby Kensington Gardens. Her works, which celebrate Black communities and address crucial topics like gentrification, will be on display.

“The gallery described Halsey’s work as a lively fusion of past, present, and future, drawing inspiration from various cultures within the African diaspora, ancient Egypt, iconic Black and Queer figures, futuristic architecture, and the exuberant blend of visual and auditory elements characteristic of funk music. This artist’s work is both revolutionary and collaborative in nature. Beyond her individual artistic pursuits lies Summaeverythang, a community center established in 2019, whose mission is to uplift and elevate Black and Brown individuals socially, politically, economically, intellectually, and creatively.”

The look of this installation will resemble the unique charm of South Central Los Angeles’ backyard settings, infused with surrealist elements. Upon entering the garden, guests will discover vibrant sand dunes in various hues and navigate a winding pathway made from discarded CDs with reflective backs that produce kaleidoscopic reflections. Amidst this, you’ll find life-sized sculptures of local Angelenos scattered throughout the garden.

It’s a privilege to introduce Lauren Halsey’s inaugural UK exhibition as an artist, which aligns perfectly with the Serpentine’s goal of fostering relationships between artists and viewers. This exhibition represents the culmination of a year-long creative partnership between London and Los Angeles. The installation, featuring sand, plants, light, and sound, is one of Halsey’s most expansive projects to date, as described by Hans Ulrich Obrist, the esteemed curator and artistic director of Serpentine.

From October 4, 2024 to March 2, 2025, you can see the artwork by Lauren Halsey titled emajendat at Serpentine South. For additional details, visit the Serpentine’s website.

Serpentine Gallery
London W2 3XA
United Kingdom

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2024-08-22 19:26