Serpentine is thrilled to present the UK debut of Lauren Halsey’s groundbreaking work, emajendat. This immersive exhibition transforms the gallery into a dynamic space that echoes the serene beauty of Kensington Gardens. Halsey’s signature style, a captivating blend of painting, sculpture, and text, invites viewers to engage with a rich tapestry of words and images.
For more than a decade, Lauren Halsey has developed a distinctive visual language inspired by the vibrant South Central neighborhood of Los Angeles, where her family’s roots run deep. Through her striking installations and individual artworks, Halsey captures and reinterprets the diverse signs and symbols that characterize her environment. Her work reflects a profound interest in material culture, as she frequently ventures into her neighborhood to document the ever-changing streetscape.
This exploration allows her to gather a rich assortment of objects, posters, flyers, commercial signs, slogans, and tags that honor local businesses and community activism. Each piece she collects contributes to a dynamic studio archive, celebrating the essence of her community and the stories woven into its fabric.
These collected elements eventually find their way into her dynamic floor and wall assemblages, as well as the intricate miniature dioramas nestled within her ‘funkmound’ sculptures. Halsey’s work is a vibrant tapestry that intertwines the past, present, and future, reflecting her interests in the iconography of African diaspora cultures, ancient Egypt, and the legacies of Black and queer icons. Her art is characterized by a visual and sonic maximalism that pays homage to the spirit of funk.
Radical and collaborative in nature, Halsey’s artistic practice extends beyond the gallery walls to include Summaeverythang, a community center she established in 2019. This center is dedicated to empowering and uplifting Black and Brown individuals across socio-political, economic, intellectual, and artistic dimensions, embodying her commitment to community and cultural transcendence.
emajendat marks the artist’s inaugural solo exhibition in the UK, showcasing a culmination of her recent significant projects. Among these is the eastside of south central los angeles hieroglyph prototype architecture, created for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Roof Garden Commission in New York (2023). Additionally, the exhibition highlights keepers of the krown, presented at the 60th Venice Biennale (2024). In these works, the artist ingeniously reimagines the Hathoric column, intricately carving the capitals to reflect the faces and narratives of individuals from her local community.
Both projects exemplify Halsey’s increasingly ambitious architectural visions, which not only engage with their environments but also serve as experimental platforms. These endeavors are stepping stones toward her ultimate goal: the establishment of a public sculpture park in South Central Los Angeles. This vision aims to create a space that resonates with the community and celebrates its rich cultural heritage.
In conjunction with the exhibition, Serpentine and Rizzoli have unveiled the most comprehensive publication to date on Lauren Halsey. This publication, crafted by the London-based design studio ALASKA ALASKA, founded by Virgil Abloh in 2017, features a collection of fresh and thought-provoking contributions. Notable voices include poet Will Alexander, art historian LeRonn Brooks, and musician George Clinton, among others.
The book is richly illustrated in color and includes an extensive dialogue between Halsey and Serpentine’s Chief Curator Lizzie Carey-Thomas, along with Artistic Director Hans Ulrich Obrist. This publication not only enhances the exhibition experience but also deepens the understanding of Halsey’s artistic journey and her profound connection to her community.