Juxtaposed | Jomo Tariku

Juxtaposed | Jomo Tarikku

October 10 - December 20,2024
Philadelphia

Wexler Gallery is pleased to announce the Alturas Foundation has selected Jomo Tariku for its Artist in Residence program.

Tariku’s residency will be devoted to the development of an exhibition entitled Juxtaposed to open in October 2024 at Wexler Gallery Philadelphia and to be followed by other major museums and design festivals globally.

Juxtaposed: A portal to African Design, is an immersive and educational exhibition that will lead viewers on a visual journey as interpreted by the creative mind of artist and furniture designer Jomo Tariku.

The installation will begin by exploring and connecting with the deep roots that inspired Tariku’s designs, then explain the creative processes he has developed for over thirty years, and finally showcase new works that incorporate past and present techniques.

The exhibition is unique in its presentation in that it will showcase Tariku’s modern designs alongside the historic objects, artifacts and other inspirations from the continent. Says Tariku, “The goal of this exhibition is to communicate the deeper meaning of the objects and cultures that inspire my work and fuel my creative process.” For example, his Meedo Chair and Bench will be displayed next to an Afro hair pick, new wallpaper designs, large wall sculpture and a throne stage to demonstrate the duality of object’s purpose in many African cultures as both a hair comb and an iconic sign of beauty of the Black is Beautiful movement from the 70’s. The artist’s Nyala Chair, inspired by the silhouette of the endangered Nyala antelope from East Africa, will be a vehicle to convey information about the environmental and conservation challenges in the region. The E’nsera Stool, inspired by the clay Ethiopian water jugs carried on the backs of women in the countryside, will illuminate the continent's challenges with clean water and women’s health issues.

Juxtaposed will also be an exploration of new materials, technologies, and designs related to the artist’s heritage. In keeping with the tradition of most material artists in Ethiopia, Tariku’s work has historically been limited to wood. This new series of work will meld modern materials such as metal and plastic, with wood to further expand his practice

“With this exhibition, I want to celebrate the past and the present while contributing to a positive cultural experience, moving the design dialogue forward by developing a new creative language based on Black culture”. - Jomo Tariku

About the Artist: Ethiopian American artist and industrial designer Jomo Tariku is defining a new language of modern African design by synthesizing his experience of the continent’s diverse landscape, indigenous cultures, architecture, colors, artifacts, dresses, and hair styles. Jomo’s designs offer a new line of inquiry and experience of modernity while venerating the rich historical palette of Africa.

Tariku's work is in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC, the Denver Art Museum, the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. A champion of Black designers, Tariku helped co-found the Black Artists + Designers Guild (BADG) and is the recipient of the 2022 BADG Maker Award.