There's the colors and the patterns. The clothes and the expressions. With boldness comes a mystery, and one of the key traits of Jamilla Okubo's paintings and the works that make up her new solo show I do not come to you as a myth, I come to you as a reality, is that they enhance a sense of hyper-awareness. The characters almost force you to meditate with them, with the geometric patterns immersed in bright backgrounds and stoic, powerful woman in each work. The show at Mehari Sequar Gallery in Washington DC is now on view through May 6, 2021.
The gallery notes that "Okubo’s paintings are layered with gestural strength and symbolism that highlights the active work of Afrofuturism in the daily lives of Black women." Throughout Okubo's career, these balances with color blocking and a dense use of texture have let each work explore historical conversations of fashion, fine art and textile design. This exhibition sees many of the women in the works in both sitting poses and with an alter-ego at their side. The dichotomy has a bit of tense and a bit of play; there is a dance that is being interwoven. The work In deep reflection with self, 2021, is the most bold in this detail, the character with a mirror, seeing her reflection, dress hanging in the background. The narratives make a cohesive show, one the strongest series in Okubo's career, and a beautiful step to things to come. —Evan Pricco
