At the entrance of the gallery, viewers are confronted by a massive wall work by Moffat Takdiwa, bhiro ne bepa (pen and paper) (2023), constructed from the detritus of late-stage capitalism and post-colonialist society. The artist embraces the texture and materiality of discarded toothbrushes, and keyboard keys among other objects in pattern and repetition. Oluseye’s Lady Soul (2022) consists of three vintage gumball machines stacked in a column, filled with cassette tapes labeled “Black” music, black-eyed peas, and synthetic braiding hair. Two rogue braids spill out from the upper spout, pooling into a spiral on the floor below. I visited to see works by my faves, Sanford Biggers and Zanele Muholi, but ended up discovering so much more. Despite, or maybe because of the mundanity of the materials, this is an elegant and powerful show.

signifying the impossible song
Southern Guild
747 N. Western Ave.,
Los Angeles, CA 90029
On view through November 14, 2024