Ekene Ijeoma is an artist, founder/director of Poetic Justice at MIT Media Lab, and Creative Capital 2019 awardee.
He was featured in What Can Design Do’s 31 Designers Fighting for a Better World, GOOD's GOOD 100 "tackling pressing global issues,” Adweek's Creative 100 "visual artist whose imagination and intellect will inspire you," and GDUSA's People to Watch "who embody the spirit of the creative community."
Exhibitions/Performances • Deconstructed Anthems at Chicago Arts Club Aug. 9–10 • Heartfelt at The REACH at The Kennedy Center Sept. 7 ‘19–’20 • Interviews/Features Designing Activism (Book) • Internships Architectural/Spatial Designer • Interaction/Information Designer • Software/Hardware Developer • Researcher • Newsletters Jul. ‘18
2018
Pan-African AIDS a sculpture which explores the hypervisibility of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa and the hidden one in Black America.
Commissioned by Museum of the City of New York/Wellcome Trust • Currently on exhibition in Germ City at Museum of the City of New York Sept. 14–May 28 • Photo by Isometric Studio
2018
Monuments for a New Era an op-art which reimagines a former Robert E. Lee monument in New Orleans as a living monument. Website
Commissioned by New York Times • Featuring artworks from Dread Scott, Nicole Awai, Ariel Rene Jackson, Titus Kaphar and Kenya (Robinson)
2018
American Flag is an op-ed which reimagines the American Flag as a living object. Website
Commissioned by The Architect’s Newspaper • Curated by Riley Hooker (Facadomy) for Object Lessons series featuring essays from Gaetano Pesce, Nancy Davidson and TAKK Architecture • Illustration by Rad Mora
2017–NOW
Deconstructed Anthems is an ongoing series of music performances and sound-reactive light installations in which a self-playing piano and/or music ensemble deconstruct the Star-Spangled Banner, repeating it multiple times, removing notes at the rate of mass incarceration, and ending in silence. Video
Featured a jazz trio including Emmy-winning pianist Kris Bowers, Blue-note recording artist/trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and Grammy-nominated bassist Burniss Earl Travis • Commissioned by Day for Night Festival in Houston • Researched in partnership with Vera Institute of Justice • Presented at Day for Night Festival and The Kennedy Center • Featured in Pigeons and Planes • Vibe Magazine • Interview Magazine • The Art Newspaper • Hyperallergic
