Christopher Udemezue walks us through his work drawing on his Jamaican heritage and with a focus on the nuanced relationship of Queer identity, gender and race as complicated by the legacies of colonialism in the Caribbean. With references ranging from Tapatapa Dancehall music to Jacques-Louis David’s painting The Death of Murat, Udemezue’s practice is undergirded by storytelling and projects that pay homage to, lift up, and build communities of Queer Caribbean people.
Presentation courtesy the artist.
Christopher Udemezue is one of four artists participating in the 2020 NYC Artist Residency Program dedicated to artists whose practices fill in gaps in historical knowledge and represent a range of diverse voices traditionally underrepresented in the arts. The program is organized by Rachel Gugelberger, RU Residency Program Director/Curator of Programs together with Alyssa Alexander, NYC Residency Program Assistant.
The 2020 NYC Artist Residency Program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the city council and generous support from individual donors.
