NEW YORK, May 10, 2024 – The Ethan Cohen Gallery is thrilled to announce the opening of Aboudia’s newest solo exhibition at their brand-new gallery location at 225 West 17th Street in Chelsea. This exhibition offers an unprecedented look into the creative world of Aboudia, showcasing a collection of artworks crafted during his recent residency at the gallery.
Visitors stepping into the spacious 4,300 square foot gallery will find themselves immersed in a vibrant exploration of Aboudia’s artistic process. The exhibition not only highlights his latest paintings but also reveals the materials, influences, and methods that define his work. This intimate glimpse into Aboudia’s studio practice presents a rare opportunity to experience the artist’s dynamic approach to creation firsthand.
This significant exhibition carries the weight of history, marking Aboudia’s seventh solo showing with Ethan Cohen Gallery and celebrating a decade of collaboration between the artist and the gallery. The show is especially notable as it inaugurates the gallery’s relocation to Chelsea, which has served as Aboudia’s New York studio in recent months. The space, poised for a comprehensive renovation this coming fall by an illustrious team including Ai Weiwei, HHF Architects, and Jee Won Kim, opens briefly for this unique presentation of Aboudia’s new paintings created on-site.
Aboudia’s latest works continue to captivate, placing the street children within vast, dream-like landscapes that are rich with cultural references and contemporary symbols. Utilizing mixed media, from torn billboards and magazine cutouts to found objects, his art transcends cultural boundaries, promoting a message of global unity and interconnectedness. The plight of marginalized youth is poignantly addressed through his integration of symbolic elements, provoking reflection on society’s overlooked fragments.
In a tribute to the late William Rubin, former chief curator of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and his pioneering exhibition from forty years ago that highlighted the impact of Tribal and Oceanic Art on Modernism, Aboudia interweaves collages of masks from the exhibition catalog into his paintings. This nod to Rubin’s work not only honors the historical dialogue between African and Western art but also positions Aboudia’s creations in the continuing legacy of African artists influencing the contemporary scene.
Aboudia’s exhibition at the Ethan Cohen Gallery in Chelsea is a compelling testament to the power of art to bridge worlds, inviting viewers to consider the intricate connections between art, culture, and society.
