{"id":8621,"date":"2026-10-05T07:27:57","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T14:27:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/?p=8621"},"modified":"2026-10-05T07:27:57","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T14:27:57","slug":"monumental-sculptures-by-sharif-bey-meditate-on-identity-and-objecthood-in-homecoming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/?p=8621","title":{"rendered":"Monumental Sculptures by Sharif Bey Meditate on Identity and Objecthood in \u2018Homecoming\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Monumental<\/p>\n

From nail-cloaked ceramic vessels<\/a> to larger-than-life busts influenced by African and Oceanic visual culture, Sharif Bey<\/a>\u2019s bold works summon the complexities of heritage, identity, and society. In his ceramic and mixed-media Guardian Series <\/em>and Crown Series,<\/em> calm yet imposing figures evoke the Benin Bronzes<\/a>, ceremonial masking traditions, the giant Moai<\/a> stone heads of Easter Island, and more.<\/p>\n

Bey has long been interested in the commanding nature of objects, especially the ways in which colonialist forces have mined cultural heritage. The Benin Bronzes, which artisans created during the 14th century in what is now Nigeria, are a prime example: British troops looted thousands of plaques in 1897, and The British Museum, The Met, the Smithsonian, Chicago\u2019s Field Museum, and more keep them in their collections. Some have been repatriated<\/a>, but most remain in Western institutional collections.<\/p>\n

\"three
\u2018Crown Series\u2019 installation view, (left to right) \u201cCrown Series: Iris\u201d (2024), \u201cCrown Series: Sadie\u201d (2024), \u201cCrown Series: Opal\u201d (2024). Photo by Kohler Co., courtesy of the John Michael Kohler Arts Center<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In Sharif Bey: Homecoming<\/em> at The Andy Warhol Museum, the title of which nods to the artist\u2019s background growing up in Pittsburgh, works like \u201cCrown Series: Iris\u201d and \u201cGuardian Series: Blink\u201d possess a deified air. Ceramic beads complement rusty nails, spikes, and chains that mimic hair and garments and also nod to a past filled with brutality and violence, especially\u2014but not limited to\u2014the transatlantic slave trade.<\/p>\n

With their eyes closed, Bey\u2019s figures exude a serene power and dignity in the face of historical injustices, which are woven into the fabric of our present. The show pairs the artist\u2019s work with pieces by Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat<\/a> from the institution\u2019s permanent collection, delving into the way all three explore themes of identity and society.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re in Pittsburgh, you can see Homecoming <\/em>through October 12. Discover more on Bey\u2019s Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"a
\u201cGuardian Series: Blink\u201d (2023). Photo by Adam Reich, courtesy of albertz benda NY | LA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"installation
Installation view of \u2018Sharif Bey: Homecoming\u2019 at The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, 2026. Photo by Bryan Conley<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"a
\u201cDomestic Queen\u201d (2024), courtesy of the New Orleans Museum of Art<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"installation
Installation view of \u2018Sharif Bey: Homecoming\u2019 at The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, 2026. Photo by Bryan Conley<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"installation
Installation view of \u2018Sharif Bey: Homecoming\u2019 at The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, 2026. Photo by Bryan Conley<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member<\/a> today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Monumental Sculptures by Sharif Bey Meditate on Identity and Objecthood in \u2018Homecoming\u2019<\/a> appeared first on Colossal<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From nail-cloaked ceramic vessels to larger-than-life busts influenced by African and Oceanic visual culture, Sharif Bey\u2019s bold works summon the complexities of heritage, identity, and society. In his ceramic and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8621","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rss"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8621","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8621"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8621\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8621"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8621"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}