1878 Gallery

November 21, 2020 – February 28, 2021

*This exhibition will be temporarily closed January 4 - 19 while the building undergoes renovations.

This exhibition is supported in part by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and Texas Commission on the Arts.

Stephen Wilson
Boy Life in America

Stephen Wilson's exhibition, Boy Life in America, features a new series of works on paper that present images of Black Americans as living extensions of contemporary, democratic possibilities. For generations, Black boys have exemplified an extraordinary method of adaptation toward unsettled situations, new experiences, diversity, and institutional change. The exhibition title and themes reference Albert Murray’s 1970 book The Omni-americans and music from Cody Chesnutt's 2012 album, The Headphone Masterpiece. The works are a continuation of Wilson’s use of anonymous models from barbershop styling posters. He presents these figures not as abnormal, non-white people, but as innocuous creators of culture, observing the world and adapting anonymously.

Stephen Wilson is a Houston based artist who co-runs Raincoat Creative, a company specializing in complex A/V installation, and works full time as a part of the Communications team at the ACLU of Texas. His personal practice evolved while an undergrad at UT-Austin. Wilson’s recent solo show Ultimate Justice, focused on the death penalty in Texas. His work explores digital representation, race and identity politics, and the aesthetics of installation as arbiter of message.

www.stephenwilsonyes.com

Click here to download a PDF that includes the exhibition checklist and artist’s resume.