It’s always a thrill to see strong talent. And there’s a lot on display in the current show at Fridman Gallery, A Billion, Brilliant Points of Unity, curated by the gallery’s director, Maty Sall. The show is an exploration of polyculturalism, the idea that, as human beings, we’re in a constant state of sharing cultures and ideas. Fourteen artists comprise this group show, which covers painting, sculpture, mixed media, textile and video. So there’s a lot to see here.
Some of my standouts include:
1) Sahana Ramakrishnan, an Indian-born, Jersey City-based artist who studied Western painting traditions, and “firmly roots her practice in the rich heritage of South Asian art, particularly the tantric lineages that emphasize visualizations and mantras.”
2) Yelaine Rodriguez, who’s first a director, and you can really see the sharp eye this Afro Dominican artist has in the 4-channel video that’s downstairs in the gallery. This image is a still from that. Stunning.
3) Hilary Balu. It’s worth getting up close and seeing the detail the Congolese painter put into the clothing. Just take a look at this jacket. Wow.
4) Saya Woolfalk. This is one of three of pieces Saya has in this show. Her artwork incorporates science fiction and fantasy, as well as the African American, European American, and Japanese influences of her family background. I love the layers and the colors, and the way each figure pops against the dark canvas.
5) Koukou Ferdinand Makouvia. This is one long strip of paper covered with pastels, pencil and pen by the Togolese multimedia artist. See the video below.
6) Laurena Finéus. Y’all know I’m a fan of this Haitian-Canadian painter. She was one of several artists who made the recent Columbia MFA thesis exhibition such a strong show. I’m glad to see that the audience for her work is growing. 
: Kathleen Maignan.
A Billion, Brilliant Points of Unity runs through August 10.
