ART
Breaking Barriers with Dozie Kanu’s Sculptural Installations
Article
Dozie Kanu
Writer
Yana Karnaukhova
Dozie Kanu is taking the art world by storm with his unique creations that transcend the boundaries of utilitarian objectivity. His installations and sculptures are deeply rooted in everyday culture, yet none of his chairs, sideboards, or lamps are absorbed in their functional purpose. Instead, his works are united by a profound connection to meaning that goes beyond their utilitarian value.
Starting with the materials he finds in his environment, Kanu combines them with industrial materials and finished products, creating a surreal abstractness that defies the concept of clearly separated genres and concepts of the artwork. Kanu’s creations are both sculptures and design works, installations and scenographies, works of art and functional objects.
Dozie Kanu
Dozie Kanu
“Dozi Kanu’s approach to art and design is unique and refreshing, making him an artist to watch.”
His symbolism, which often refers to black music and street culture elements, folk forms of self-expression, and the codes of classical modernism, is peculiar and thought-provoking, creating a unique perspective on the emergence of value within an object, the relationship between unique art pieces and mass products, as well as the interaction of history and biography manifested in the material world.
While his background in set design is the inspiration for his repeated use of stage sets at his exhibitions, it emphasizes the aspect of performativity inherent in all his works. Kanu strives to complicate and set in motion the idea of being and belonging, challenging the traditional values of art, social and cultural belonging.
Dozie Kanu
Dozie Kanu
“Kanu brings confidence and style to every project, and his work is a testament to his creative vision, drawing inspiration from films like those of Kubrick.”
Born and raised in Houston, Texas, in 1993, Kanu studied at the School of Fine Arts, New York. His first solo exhibition took place at the Studio Museum of Harlem, New York, in 2019, followed by exhibitions at Project Native Informant in London, Madragoa in Lisbon, Manual Arts in Los Angeles, and Performance Space in New York. Currently, his works are presented as part of a solo exhibition at the Neuer Essener Museum in Essen until November 2022, accompanied by an extensive publication set to be released at the end of the year.
Dozie Kanu’s sculptural installations break the barriers between art, design, and function, creating fascinating works that challenge the traditional values of art and its role in society.
