Curtis Patterson
An 'unbroken connection' with his ancestral lineage is apparent in Curtis Patterson’s abstract creations, whose symbolism and elements often imbue the beauty and elegance of African iconography.
He pays homage with his art not only to humanitarians, musicians, and athletes, but also to those unsung individuals and groups who have made tremendous contributions and consequential sacrifices through their social service, domestic work and manual labor.
“My ultimate goal with each new art challenge is to develop a piece that is well received by the community where it is located and compliments the environment where it is placed.”
“Uhuru Now!” by Curtis Patterson
Business Ledger, W. H. Paxton, Enslaver, New Orleans, Louisiana
Uhuru Now gives honor and respect to the memory of those who suffered the atrocities of slavery within the U.S. Uhuru is a Swahili term, which translated into English, means
freedom. Uhuru Now, underscores the immediacy and urgency of the demand for freedom and the swift action necessary to rectify the inequities that remain from centuries of slavery and continued oppression that followed.
The base of this composition is a lithograph of Business Ledger, W. H. Paxton, Enslaver, New Orleans, Louisiana.
The central elements are two copper collé birds with hot patina, each postured with intertwined necks, looking back at their tails. The mythical bird form, called Sankofa, is drawn from the Adinkra system of symbols from Ghana, one of the prominent sources of slaves in the Atlantic slave trade. It symbolizes the act of reflecting on past teachings to inform the future and allow people to move forward together.
Connecting the two tails of the birds is an arc-linear element with outward protruding barbs. This shape is influenced by the meteorological symbol for cold fronts which implies change, movement and expansion. It references the Civil Rights movement and continued pursuits for equality and social justice.
The work is bordered by a constellation of Fawohodie Adinkra symbols that mean independence, freedom, and emancipation. Each of the 44 Fawohodie symbols designates the significance of the lives and contributions of each of the 44 slaves present on the complete ledger. The numbers 1, 8, 6 and 5 in the four corners of the ledger indicate the year slavery was abolished in the U.S.
The foliate copper collé elements with hot patina are inspired by the ebe-ame river leaves used in bronze castings of the pre-colonial royal court of Benin, Nigeria. They represent healing and wealth and reinforce the profound beauty of African ancestry and the African diaspora. The essence of this work is intended to evoke a deep sense of homage and a spiritual connection to the past, present, and future endeavors towards freedom.
Curtis Patterson