Give Me Space

by Karrington Gardner

Exhibition: March 26 - 30, 2024

Reception: Saturday, March 30th, 6-8p

Give Me Space is a body of work born out of the genuine curiosity of the world around me. Through painting and collage, I create confusing and disorienting spaces that often reflect the experiences of people of color in spaces where they are considered “other”. With self-portraiture I am exploring my relationship to self-representation and my identity as a Black man in this absurd world. I am also reflecting on the personal culture shock of transitioning from predominantly Black spaces to UNCG, a predominantly white institution.

These mundane spaces, my apartment, my studio, and the city of Greensboro have all served as places of reflection for me and have become important parts of my development as an artist thus far. The depiction of these, what many would consider, “boring” everyday places are transformed using bright colors which are influenced by the artist collective AfriCOBRA and artist Arcmanoro Niles. Through collage I am finding interesting relationships and creating new worlds out of spaces I frequently inhabit. With this work I want the viewer to join me in this disorienting experience and ask themselves “what is reality?”

More About Karrington

Karrington Gardner is a 24-year-old artist from Columbia, South Carolina. He received his Bachelors in Art Education from North Carolina A&T State University (2017-2021) and he will be graduating with his M.F.A in Studio Art from the University of North Carolina Greensboro in May (2022-2024). Karrington has a colorful art practice influenced by AfriCOBRA, Arcmanoro Niles, Barkley Hendricks, and many other great artists. He mainly works in the medium of painting, but his practice has recently ventured into collage. By mixing painting and collage, Karrington has been able to expand his artistic practice into an exciting and generative one that explores the idea of space.

Learn more at 803artistry.com or follow on IG: @803_artistry