Yeelen Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of large format works by Tim Okamura, Jerome Soimaud, and T. Eliott Mansa.

The subject of Figuration is approached as an enduring subject and a social vehicle for the evolution of human consciousness. The exhibition highlights the resurgence of Black Figuration in contemporary art practice. The portrayal of the Black figure has always been a subject of debate; who is allowed to depict it, in what form must it take, and how prolific should its impact be.

Resurgence places Blackness at the forefront, the strength of the subjects speaks to the core of the human spirit. The endurance and drive to be recognized among the mainstream, no longer only a jewel of an underground movement - Blackness has stepped out of the shadows and into the forefront of contemporary art dialogue. The artists exhibiting are storytellers, messengers of their subjects’ histoires. The large scale works of oils, and mixed media are deeply rooted in figuration, realistic, yet impregnated with symbolism that speaks to our collective psychology.

“We should not pretend to understand the world only by the intellect, the judgment of the intellect is only part of the truth”. - Carl Jung

Tim Okamura (1968) is a contemporary Canadian painter known for his depiction of African-American and minority subjects in urban settings, and his combination of graffiti and realism. His work has been featured in several major motion pictures and in London's National Portrait Gallery.

Jerome Soimaud (1964) is a French, Miami-based contemporary artist known for his exacting depictions and perspective challenging compositions; his skills were honed at La Grande Chaumiere in Paris. The artist is able to accurately seize his subject before reducing them to lines or ether. Soimaud’s works are in private and public collections worldwide.

T. Eliott Mansa (1977) Miami’s native son, currently an MFA student at Yale University and alumni of the New World School of the Arts. Mansa came up during the era of Reaganomics, crack cocaine, and the sounds of Black nationalist hip-hop, the artist has strived to make sense of the disparate elements of his environment. His poignant portrait speaks to humanity and the inner struggles faced by his subjects on their journey for self-truth.

Yeelen Gallery is a contemporary art space dedicated to the promotion and expression of Street Culture. Occupying a 10,000 square-foot converted industrial space in Little Haiti, allows the Gallery to mount exhibitions of a dynamic and ambitious nature. Yeelen Gallery maintains a focus on figuration, realism, and symbolism.