Derek Fordjour
(b. 1974)Derek Fordjour’s paintings, sculptures, and installations render the fraught complexities of the Black American experience.
Biography
Fordjour’s paintings begin with a collage process that includes layers of different materials such as newspaper, cardboard, and glitter. The artist often creates immersive environments that engage multiple senses for the presentation of his work.
Born to Ghanaian immigrant parents in Memphis, Fordjour’s creative aptitude was present from a young age, though his path to artistry took a circuitous route. After briefly attending Pratt Institute, Fordjour took a break from his art education before attending and graduating from Morehouse College, Harvard University, and Hunter College. At Hunter, he worked closely with artist Nari Ward, who was his thesis advisor. Ward encouraged Fordjour’s growing interest in depicting Black American issues through unconventional materials.
Fordjour’s artwork is layered with textures and intricate details. His subjects include the tension between invisibility and hypervisibility, the expectations and spectacle of Black athletes, and the under-told narratives of Black performers and magicians.
Fordjour’s work is included in the permanent collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Dallas Museum of Art; the Royal Collection, United Kingdom; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, and the Studio Museum in Harlem.
Derek Fordjour
(b. 1974)Derek Fordjour’s paintings, sculptures, and installations render the fraught complexities of the Black American experience.
Untitled (Red Reverse), 2014
Biography
Fordjour’s paintings begin with a collage process that includes layers of different materials such as newspaper, cardboard, and glitter. The artist often creates immersive environments that engage multiple senses for the presentation of his work.
Born to Ghanaian immigrant parents in Memphis, Fordjour’s creative aptitude was present from a young age, though his path to artistry took a circuitous route. After briefly attending Pratt Institute, Fordjour took a break from his art education before attending and graduating from Morehouse College, Harvard University, and Hunter College. At Hunter, he worked closely with artist Nari Ward, who was his thesis advisor. Ward encouraged Fordjour’s growing interest in depicting Black American issues through unconventional materials.
Fordjour’s artwork is layered with textures and intricate details. His subjects include the tension between invisibility and hypervisibility, the expectations and spectacle of Black athletes, and the under-told narratives of Black performers and magicians.
Fordjour’s work is included in the permanent collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Dallas Museum of Art; the Royal Collection, United Kingdom; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, and the Studio Museum in Harlem.