About
Khari Turner
As Below and Above
CFHILL proudly presents As Below and Above – Khari Turner’s first solo exhibition in Scandinavia. Presented in the main space of the gallery is an entirely new series of dynamic paintings and sculptures created on site in Stockholm.
Following a celebrated international debut at the Venice Biennale and a solo exhibition at the Museum of Wisconsin Art, Khari Turner set sail for Stockholm upon invitation from CFHILL for a one-month residency in May 2022. The resulting exhibition consists of no less than eleven paintings and six sculptures in Turner’s signature style combining abstraction with figurative elements that reflect on our shared existence as bodies of water.
Vibrant, translucent colours and unique textures created by mixing ink, sea water, acrylic and oil paint on canvas, characterise Turner’s universe “below and above” water where bodies float, sink and hover. His work is primarily about finding joy, daring to be vulnerable and present in the contemporary moment. However, the focus on water additionally allows for a conversation about the history and politics connected to it since we share water with our ancestors and future generations alike. Moreover, Turner’s interest in water stretches beyond mere representation – it is a key element in his artistic process in which he has connected the work materially to the city by incorporating sea water from the Swedish capital.
“We are so happy that Khari Turner accepted our invitation to come to Stockholm and develop an exhibition for the Scandinavian art community. It is truly an impressive and unique series of works given their strong connection to the water that surrounds our hometown. Our first collaboration with curator Destinee Ross-Sutton was the internationally acclaimed exhibition Black Voices/Black Microcosm which opened in April 2020. As Below and Above marks our second collaboration with Ross-Sutton, and a much anticipated one at that,” says Michael Elmenbeck, Head of Exhibitions at CFHILL.
“I am so excited to present Khari’s works here with CFHILL. I can’t think of a better way to arrive here finally and collaborate again, this time in person, as a continuation of our shared passion for promoting artists that first came to fruition right at the beginning of the pandemic. I feel as if this is our way to say that the passion for art continues on, as long as we do it together. Khari’s work is so very well rounded; it discusses concepts that relate not only to him personally, but connect to many others in so many ways. Seeing him and his work grow and expand over time as he asks and answers questions about himself and the world has been a marvelous experience”, says Destinee Ross-Sutton, Curator and Founder, Ross-Sutton Gallery.
