ANDREW GRAY
& ABI SALAMI

Band of Vices is thrilled to present two concurrent solo exhibitions by Baltimore-based artist Andrew Gray and the Dallas-based artist Abi Salami, INDETERMINATE SPACE OF THE IMAGINARY. Comprised of over 20 paintings, these two emerging artists challenge our notions of the Black experience, from both mythical and expressionistic viewpoints. ANDREW GRAY’s approach is re-appropriating the mundane and every day to include representations of working-class Black people who also, as Americans living their rightful dreams, are compelled to enjoy the simple, yet leisurely aspects of life. The artist writes “My charge, as I see it, is to highlight a range of diverse black characters to exemplify my ethnicity not as a monolith but instead as a community of complex human beings. I display figures who are frequently left on the margins of society and place their stories at the center of the canvas, this elevation suggests that they are not the exception to modernity but its exemplification..”

While building upon her autobiographical stories, ABI SALAMI provides two different series, The Disconnected, a searing commentary on the contemporary art world, and her Dance with the Devil/blood in the Water, an in-depth examination of the exploitation and toxicity of capitalism. Notes the artist:

“I take an introspective look and admit that since I don't possess the power to change the system then all I can do is play along and wait until my moment comes.”

- ABI SALAMI