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Nari Ward

<p>A Brief History of Known takes the healing and resilient powers of copper as its medium. The diamond-shaped patterns refer to a Congolese cosmogram, an ancient prayer symbol representing the cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth. Nari Ward first saw this symbol at the First African Baptist Church in Savannah, Georgia, punctured into the floorboards and used as breathing holes for escaped slaves traveling the Underground Railroad. Critically considering which histories are told and which remain unacknowledged, Ward conceived the work as a type of history painting. The iPhone case impressions are a nod to the use of technology in bearing witness, while many shoe prints imply a large group of people, suggesting a protest. The abstract quality and range of blue tones suggest water and the ability to cleanse, obscure, and absorb. Drawing a poetic line across centuries of world history, the work is a monument to events of the past and the present.</p><p><strong>Nari Ward</strong> (born 1963 in St. Andrew, Jamaica) uses discarded material in his thought-provoking installations, most often collected in his neighborhood. By re-contextualizing found objects, he confronts history and issues surrounding race, poverty, and consumer culture. Ward lives and works in New York.</p>

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