Exhibition Review: Hilton Als x Njideka Akunyili Crosby｜The Beautyful Ones
Njideka Akunyili Crosby, “The Beautiful Ones” Series #1c, 2014
© Njideka Akunyili Crosby. Courtesy of the artist, Victoria Miro, and David Zwirner
Written by Wenjie (Demi) Zhao
Copy Edited by Robyn Hager
Photo Edited by Alanna Reid
The latest exhibition, The Beautyful Ones, at The Huntington, curated by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and art critic Hilton Als, showcases the stunning artistry of Nigerian artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby. Through her intricate and vibrant works, Njideka Akunyili Crosby explores complex themes of identity, culture, and memory. The exhibition features five large-scale pieces, each one carefully composed of a collage of images, patterns, and textures, including personal photographs and mementos. The exhibition is open for viewing from February 15th to June 12th.
Born and raised in Nigeria, Njideka Akunyili Crosby came to the United States in 1999 to attend the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and Swarthmore College before obtaining an MFA from Yale University. Crosby has developed a signature style of collaged paintings that feature photographic transfers drawn from magazines, advertisements, and family albums related to memories and imagery from her childhood in Nigeria. Using acrylic paint, textiles, collage, and photocopy solvent transfers, the artist creates a substrate of images pulled from Nigerian pop culture magazines, commemorative printed fabrics, personal family albums, and her own photography.
“The Hilton Als Series: Njideka Akunyili Crosby” installation view. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.
From the moment one steps into the gallery, it is impossible not to be captivated by the sheer visual richness of Njideka Akunyili Crosby’s works. Each piece is a kaleidoscope of colors, patterns, and textures, creating a sense of depth and complexity that draws the viewer in. At the same time, the artist’s use of personal photographs and other ephemera provides an intimate and human touch, reminding us that behind the intricate layers of paint and paper lies a deeply personal exploration of identity and memory.
Njideka Akunyili Crosby, “The Beautiful Ones” Series #4c, 2014
© Njideka Akunyili Crosby. Courtesy of the artist, Victoria Miro, and David Zwirner
One of the standout pieces in the exhibition is “The Beautyful Ones Series #4,” created by the artist in 2015, which features a young girl dressed in an all-white gauze dress, with a laced veil dangling behind, in juxtaposition to a pop-blue doll, all layered on top of a colorful patchwork of images and patterns. The young woman and the doll stare out and smile at the viewer with a powerful intensity, their expressions suggesting both pride and vulnerability. The layers of images and patterns surrounding them add a sense of complexity and depth, hinting at the rich and varied experiences that have shaped the girl’s childhood.
“The Hilton Als Series: Njideka Akunyili Crosby” installation view. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.
Another powerful work in the exhibition is “The Beautyful Ones Series #1c,” created in 2014, which features a large-scale portrait of a solitary figure, on the brink of adolescence, experiencing a transformation from girl to woman. This transformation is echoed by the images making up her clothing as she is surrounded by a collage of images that reference African popular culture. The portrait itself is striking in its simplicity, with the girl’s serene expression and reflective glasses providing a sense of quiet dignity. The curvaceous draperies also stand out from the geometric backdrop. The surrounding images, however, add a layer of complexity and tension, suggesting the ways in which cultural identity can be both a source of pride and a site of struggle.
“The Hilton Als Series: Njideka Akunyili Crosby.” Installation view of
Njideka Akunyili Crosby, “The Beautyful Ones” Series #9 (2018) at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.
The Beautyful Ones is a powerful and deeply affecting exhibition that showcases Njideka Akunyili Crosby's incredible talent as an artist and her profound insight into the complexities of Nigerian identity and memory.
“Her canvases are alive with, and to, her understanding of her various subjects’ layered, complex, and vulnerable lives.” — Hilton Als
Hilton Als’s thoughtful curation adds a sense of coherence and depth to the exhibition, providing a framework for viewers to engage with the themes and ideas that spin around cultural identity and run through Njideka Akunyili Crosby’s work.
