JUBILEE: Ferrari Sheppard

April 4 - 25

UTA Artist Space presents - JUBILEE

UTA Artist Space is pleased to announce Jubilee from artist Ferrari Sheppard for his second solo exhibition with the gallery. He will showcase a collection of new paintings that portray ordinary moments and scenes from daily life. These works will feature gold leaf, giving them a touch of religious symbolism, as it reflects light and adds depth to the artworks. Through this technique, he aims to explore hidden layers of the human psyche, examining how people present themselves to the world, what they truly perceive within themselves, and the aspects they shy away from confronting due to pressures to assimilate.

In Jubilee, Sheppard delves into the challenges and progressions of African Americans from 1863 to 1963. Through 10 expensive paintings, he celebrates resilience, spirituality, and the struggle to preserve cultural identity. The artworks are a testament to his dedication to abstraction, as he sculpts figures from a solid foundation of bold marks and textures. Instead of pursuing the painting, he allows it to emerge organically, embracing an improvised, abstract expressionist method. These new pieces expand upon his earlier exploration of figurative abstraction, pushing artistic boundaries even further. Works like “Chasin’ the Bird,” “Moonshine,” and “Bright Sun” revisit themes from earlier stages of his career, while “Home Cooked Meal” and “Swing Time” offer fresh perspectives. In the current political climate, Jubilee serves as a poignant reminder of collective resilience, urging us to remember our shared humanity as symbolized by these new artworks.

“I’m excited to share this new body of work with New York City—a city that contributes a large part to my identity. Like many artists, I roamed the streets of New York with a growling stomach and a scorching dream of becoming a professional artist. I’m grateful that this aspiration has become a reality, and I’m ecstatic about the future. I welcome everyone to celebrate and hopefully be inspired by Jubilee,” says artist Ferrari Sheppard.

In announcing the exhibition, Senior Director of UTA Artist Space Harrison Tenzer, who is based in New York City, stated “We’re thrilled to welcome Ferrari back to UTA Artist Space for his second solo exhibition with us, this time in New York City. We first showed Ferrari’s work three years ago in our Los Angeles gallery and since then, he has gone on to build an incredible career, exhibiting internationally and signing with powerhouse gallery MASSIMODECARLO. It is a privilege to work with such an impactful artist and be part of his exceptional journey. ”

About UTA Artist Space

Since the establishment of its flagship Beverly Hills location in 2018, UTA Artist Space – the gallery extension of UTA – has been committed to showcasing art by globally recognized talent. With the opening of a new Atlanta office and gallery in spring 2023, UTA Artist Space has expanded its impressive vision and reach across the United States. Over the past few years, the gallery’s original location has presented notable exhibitions with interdisciplinary artists and creatives, including The Estate of Ernie Barnes, Enrique Martínez Celaya, Mandy El-Sayegh, Nicholas Kontaxis, Arcmanoro Niles, Ferrari Sheppard, and more. UTA presented a series of pop-up exhibitions at Atlanta’s historic Pullman Yards before inaugurating its permanent gallery space in March 2023 with a solo exhibition by Lonnie Holley.

About Ferrari Sheppard

Blurring the lines between abstraction and figuration, the contemporary artist Ferrari Sheppard creates mid to large-scale paintings celebrating the humanity of Black people in the Americas and within the diaspora. The Los Angeles based artist was born in Chicago and lived in various cities in Africa. His paintings are influenced by memories and lived experience, evoking a sense of nostalgia. 

Sheppard’s approach to figuration heralds a new visual language, with large acrylic, charcoal, and 24k gold on canvas conveying movement and emotion through his confident brushstrokes and distinctive use of color. His abstract practice brings forth irregularities in each work giving the viewer a sense of activity and excitement. Evocative titles are used in a poetic manner to reflect deeper meanings and cultural references. The abstracted figures are created with an intuitive balance between subtle idiosyncrasies and intentional opacity, holding space for the complexity and expansiveness within each individual being.