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moniquemeloche was founded in October 2000, with its debut exhibition ‘Homewrecker’ at Meloche’s home, and officially opened to the public in May 2001. Diverse and inclusive since its inception, the gallery promotes politically minded contemporary art, aiming to be a bellwether for artistic talents early or under-recognized in their careers. Working with an international group of emerging and established artists in all media, the gallery presents conceptually challenging installations in Chicago and at art fairs internationally, with an emphasis on curatorial and institutional outreach.
Represented artists include: Luke Agada, Candida Alvarez, Sanford Biggers, Antonius Tín-Bui, David Antonio Cruz, Brendan Fernandes, Dan Gunn, Sheree Hovsepian, Rashid Johnson, Lavar Munroe, Ben Murray, Maia Cruz Palileo, Ebony G. Patterson, Cheryl Pope, Karen Reimer, Joel Ross, Arocha-Schraenen, David Shrobe, Arvie Smith, Jake Troyli, Nate Young
Image: Installation of Luke Agada, To Translate is to Move Across.
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Luke Agada’s practice examines themes of globalization, migration and cultural dislocation within the framework of a postcolonial world and its impact on neo-cultural evolution. Agada's surrealist paintings of disembodied figures and dream-like grounds reference identity and the transformation of the postmodern human, where both time and space produce complex bodies of difference. Overlapping the past and present, the other and the self-reflect the ambiguity of our identiy within post-structuralist theory. Agada's work has been inspired by the postcolonial writings of Homi Bhabha, Edward Said, and literary works by Nigerian authors Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. His work is a continuous reflection of his investigative approach to history and critical theory with regards to the examination of the culture of dominance through globalization.
Agada (b.1992, Lagos, Nigeria) received his MFA in Painting and Drawing at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2023) and a DVM at Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (2018). He has had recent national and international exhibitions with Roberts Projects, Los Angeles, CA (2024); African American Museum of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA (2024) moniquemeloche, Chicago, IL (2023); Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Berlin, Germany (2023); Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China (2023); African Artist’s Foundation, Lagos, Nigeria (2021); and Gallery 1957, Accra, Ghana. Agada’s work is included in the forthcoming group exhibition Ever So Present II: Between Home and Elsewhere at Gagosian, NYC, alongside artists Amoako Boafo, Joséfa Ntjam, and Emma Prempeh, curated by Brice Arséne Yonkeu. Agada will present a solo exhibition at moniquemeloche Fall 2025.
He has been a recipient of various awards and fellowships including Newcity’s Breakout Artist (2024); Studios at MASS MoCA Fellowship (2023); The James Nelson Raymond Fellowship Award (2023); Dean’s Grant, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL (2023); Janet and Russell Doubleday Award at The Art Students League of New York (2022); The Helen Frankenthaler Award at SAIC in (2022); George and Ann Siegel Award, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL (2021); Global Warming International Art Prize, New York, New York (2020). Agada currently lives and works in Chicago, IL.