KOHLER ARTS CENTER
Anthony Olubunmi Akinbola: Magic City
The John Michael Kohler Arts Center is a hidden gem in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, located about fifty miles north of Milwaukee. From February 1st through July 11th, 2021, it hosts an eye-opening large-scale installation titled Magic City, showcasing works by Nigerian-American artist Anthony Olubunmi Akinbola to explore the commodification of Black culture and the relationship between Africa and Black America.
Akinbola is a first-generation American born in 1991 in Columbia, Missouri, and raised between the US and Nigeria. He is a multidisciplinary artist whose work consists of readymades used to explore identity, cultural rituals, and the relationship between them. He examines what makes an object “Black,” “White,” or “American,” and therefore what makes him Black. In his own words, his works are “metaphors for what a first-generation existence might look like.” It is his first major solo museum exhibition. In the past, he has participated in group exhibitions at venues all over the world. They include the Queens Museum, New York; the Museum of Arts and Design, New York; False Flag, New York; Zuckerman Museum of Art, Kennesaw, Georgia; and Pt. 2 Gallery, Oakland, California. He currently resides in Brooklyn.
In Magic City, Akinbola uses objects such as Durags or Torino Brushes and transforms them into sculptures and objects that explore the intricacies of identity: “Durags replace oil paint as a medium for creating monumentally-scaled action paintings; hundreds of stacked Murray’s hair pomade cans become looming minimalist totems; and a Cadillac Escalade morphs into a pulsating sound sculpture.”
Kaytie Johnson, the senior curator at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, has stated that “Magic City is a temple to objects of worship from African culture and Black America and beyond. With a wry and thoughtful approach, Anthony uses asymmetric information as a tool to complicate and question issues surrounding identity, commodity fetishism, popular culture, and ritual under capitalism.” She also notes that “Akinbola has described his work as ‘metaphors for what a first-generation existence might look like,’ and his exploration of cultural belonging through the space between his African and American identity offers a compelling and immersive experience for visitors of all backgrounds.
The John Michael Kohler Arts Center is also worth a visit in itself. Founded in 1967, it has been making innovative arts programming accessible to everyone, whether they be artists, academics, or families and youth, and promoting the work of contemporary and self-taught artists. It is also known worldwide for exhibiting works by art-environment builders (artists transforming an environment such as a home or back yard into a work of art). In June 2021, the Center will open its Art Preserve, a museum focused entirely on work from art environments.
Those unfamiliar with Akinbola’s work should consider taking a look into this excellent up-and-coming artist’s practice. If unable to attend in person, the exhibition was also made available virtually on the museum’s website starting February 19th. It includes a 3D view of the space plus explanations. Don’t miss your chance to see it, as exploring Magic City will undoubtedly be time well spent.
