About the Exhibit - Salvaged Imerial 

Salvaged Imeperial is Patrick Quarm’s first solo show in New York, on view at Albertz Benda in Chelsea until October 3rd, 2020.

The exhibit highlights different techniques such as weaving as a way to express “hybrid idendtities,” particularly how the past can determine present self as well as culture. 

“Salvage Imperial is an expansion of my take on cultural hybridity and the black body living within the cultural third space. I am revisiting memories shared by my father and my experiences as young man navigating the world.”  Patrick Quarm  (source) 

“It is a depiction of my collection of memories, which I refer to as “salvaging”. These memories are what I think of as hybrid protagonists and in further terms I’d describe it as imperial.”  Patrick Quarm  (source) 

“I always think of history as the sedimentation of events, my task or my duty as an artist is to strip each layer after the other to bring clarity; to understand the past and how the past shapes the present.” - Patrick Quarm  (source) 

Quarm combines two influences to his identity, “Western” style of painting and traditional African materials. He paintings on perforated African wax print fabric, and then weaves it to create dimension and multiple view-points (just like perspectives in life!). 

“The patterns and figures alternately meld together or obscure one another, creating characters that challenge strict dichotomies between past and present, individual and cultural identity.” (source) 

“The primary reason for using the African print fabric is its complex history. Originating from Indonesia, the fabric ultimately arrived in Africa through trade and was dubbed African print fabric. This material embodies a great channel for the message I seek to conveyed.” - Patrick Quarm  (source) 

“The complex works of Patrick Quarm are full of hidden elements; elaborate details that you discover the more you examine each piece. Depending on the angle in which each piece is viewed, different aspects are revealed.” - Create Magazine (source) 

About the Artist - Patrick Quarm 

Patrick Quarm lives and works Takoradi, Ghana.

He received his BFA in paintings from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana and his MFA at Texas Tech University. 

“Every artist seeks to communicate ideas and wants their painting to make an impression, and even more so to establish a conversation or cause a certain kind of influence” -  Patrick Quarm  (source) 

You can explore more on his website and Instagram.