Live on Phillips.com 17 May – 4 June 2021
Phillips is pleased to present SOLUS BY HEBRU BRANTLEY, a virtual selling exhibition dedicated to works by contemporary American artist Hebru Brantley, who is best known for his unique approach to Afro-Futurism. The exhibition, which has been put together in conjunction with Bloom Galerie, will be live from 17 May – 4 June on www.phillips.com/solus, features nearly 30 works in different mediums created specifically by the artist for the show. Visitors around the world will be able to browse exceptional pieces by Brantley with an exciting 360-degree immersive experience via a custom-built 3D virtual gallery.
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Jonathan Crockett, Chairman, Asia, Phillips, said: “To coincide with Art Basel Hong Kong, and to continue Phillips’ significant recent developments in the digital space, we are proud to bring this one-of-a-kind virtual selling exhibition by Hebru Brantley to art enthusiasts in Asia and all over the world. Recognised internationally as one of the preeminent artists at the forefront of contemporary culture, Brantley has developed a cult following for his narrative-driven work which includes collectors such as LeBron James, Jay-Z and Beyoncé, among others. His work is regularly exhibited across the world and some of his collaborations with brands include Nike, Hublot, and Adidas. We look forward to welcoming our global collectors and art lovers on Phillips.com to view and interact with these works. They belong to a dark fiction universe where tales of optimism, hope, heroism, and space exploration are part of the storytelling landscape.”
Hebru Brantley said: “I am excited to partner with Phillips, a leading auction house which has been at the forefront of championing young artists. Solus by definition means alone or unaccompanied. It is reflective of how people have felt over the past year being isolated from friends and family. Times are trying no matter what color you are, but especially for people of color. This year has felt particularly lonely. It is as if our voice doesn’t matter, as if we don’t matter. Living a life without the privilege of being seen and heard – where inclusion and equity is not always celebrated, can be further isolating to our communities. We as human beings naturally crave connection, so at a time when everything feels out of sorts and disconnected, people can start to go at each other’s throats. The purpose of this work is to illuminate the strength, resilience and unity that can come from Solus. The light that we as humans can find in the darkest of times. There is so much to unpack from the exhibition, Solus – it’s a stage direction. Life is a stage, but there are moments where life takes us on trips that we don’t feel ready for. We have no choice but to keep paving our path forward. This is representative of where we all are, collectively as a people.”
Among the exhibition highlights is the SPECIAL EPISODE OF THE GREAT DEBATE from the artist’s acclaimed ‘Great Debate’ series. The work depicts two sides of the same argument firmly standing their ground with no one winning. Also highlighting SOLUS BY HEBRU BRANTLEY is THE ULTRA LUMEN PT. 1. Ultra Lumen is the tongue-in-cheek reference to shining a light on certain problems, but it should also feel aspirational. A dim but strong light shining at a time when it is hyper crucial and important to have sparks of inspiration and hope.
Hebru Brantley
Hebru Brantley creates narrative-driven work revolving around his conceptualized iconic characters which are utilized to address complex ideas around nostalgia, the mental psyche, power, and hope. The color palettes, pop-art motifs, and characters themselves create accessibility around Brantley’s layered and multifaceted beliefs. Majorly influenced by the South Side of Chicago’s Afro Cobra movement in the 1960s and 70s, Brantley uses the lineage of mural and graffiti work as a frame to explore his inquiries. Brantley applies a plethora of mediums from oil, acrylic, watercolor and spray paint to non-traditional mediums such as coffee and tea. Brantley’s work challenges the traditional view of the hero or protagonist and his work insists on a contemporary and distinct narrative that shapes and impacts the viewer’s gaze. Find out more about the artist: https://www.hebrubrantley.com/
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