Alexis Peskine’s signature large-scale ‘portraits’ are rendered by hammering gold leafed nails of different gauge into wood stained with coffee and mud with pin-point accuracy. Metaphorically connecting the nail to the Black Experience, Peskine depicts figures that portray strength, perseverance, and self-possession with energy startlingly reminiscent of the Minkisi “power figures” of the Congo Basin. Nails, in both ancient and contemporary African cultures, are associated with objects of prodigious symbolic and spiritual power. Peskine focuses on questions of identity and the intricate nature of the Black experience around the world, which drives him to travel and constantly engage in artistic reflections. In his latest works, Peskine experiments with colour, materials, and form, including sliced tree trunks, curcuma, and hibiscus, to create compelling portraits. His work has been featured in many print publications, including the New York Times, Le Monde, O Correio da Bahia, and Libération.

Alexis Peskine will be presented by October Gallery.