Art of Culture

This year’s exhibit runs concurrently with the opera Omar, a Lyric premiere from co-composers Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels. The Pulitzer Prize-winning opera was inspired by the autobiography of 19th-century Islamic scholar Omar ibn Said, who was captured in West Africa and enslaved in the American South.

The works by African artist Sayo Olalekan represented here resonate powerfully with the story and themes of the opera, as the main character confronts his circumstances and challenges through faith and an enduring desire for preserving his identity. Omar’s body becomes property, and his profound intellectual and spiritual gifts are concealed. Olalekan’s work physically demonstrates the tension between external and internal identity, between ease and tension. He, too, overcame extraordinarily challenging circumstances, alchemizing them to create a voice for himself and his culture of origin. As with the bold scenic design, rich characterization, and multi-genre music of the opera, Olalekan’s subtly detailed work tells a number of stories.

The images below are photo representations of Olalekan's pieces. In the exhibit the sculpture, Resonance with The Inner Man, will be displayed along with these images.

For more than two decades, Gallery Guichard has built a reputation for its commitment to artists of the African Diaspora and the broader global contemporary art community. Founded by Andre Guichard, Frances Guichard, and Stephen Mitchell in Chicago’s historic Bronzeville neighborhood — one of the nation’s most important African American cultural districts — the gallery continues to present ambitious exhibitions and develop platforms that expand the visibility and appreciation of multicultural and underrepresented artists. gallery Guichard represents Stephen “Sayo” Olalekan and numerous other established, mid-career, and emerging artists. Learn more at galleryguichard.com