Headlands Center for the Arts and CULT Aimee Friberg Exhibitions present a conversation with 2019–20 Tournesol Awardee Troy Chew, on the occasion of his solo exhibition Yadadamean, currently on view at CULT Aimee Friberg Exhibitions through December 12.

Yadadamean is a continuation of Chew’s Slanguage series—a reference to the colloquial speech rooted in Black linguistics. Yadadamean, a more efficient term for, “You know what I mean?” presents an assortment of terms and imagery born in the San Francisco Bay Area. Chew’s still lifes provoke viewers to reflect on the historical exclusion of Blackness in Western art, despite the multitudinous facets of Black culture that have shaped mainstream aesthetics, culture and vernacular. The works recall the genesis and evolution of Hip Hop—created in the 1970s in South Bronx by youth who were excluded from the mainstream, it was a rebuttal to a system of social and economic inequality. Hip Hop, and countless other forms of Black creation, existed as incubation spaces for the sharing of stories and forming of Black communities.

This talk is supported by Studio Table.

Troy Chew is a California born and raised artist whose work explores the African Diaspora within urban culture. Chew was a Graduate Fellow Artist in Residence at the Headlands in 2018 and the Tournesol Award winner in 2019-2020. He has a Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of California, Merced and a Master of Fine Arts from California College of the Arts - San Francisco. Chew lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Headlands Center for the Arts is a multidisciplinary, international arts center located within the San Francisco Bay’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Headlands provides an unparalleled environment for the creative process and the development of new work and ideas. Through a range of programs for artists and the public, Headlands offers opportunities for reflection, dialogue, and exchange that build understanding and appreciation for the role of art in society.

The Headlands Tournesol Award recognizes one local painter each year, supporting them in taking the first major steps toward establishing a career in the Bay Area. The award gives financial and professional support to assist a dedicated painter in the critical early years of their artistic development.

Studio Table is a fine dining, art, and community concept in San Francisco founded by Heather Day and Michelle Wei. Studio Table brings people together to challenge expectations and create conversations, beginning with a shared meal.

CULT Aimee Friberg Exhibitions is a contemporary art gallery for cutting edge work by emerging and established artists, founded in 2013 by curator Aimee Friberg. Through programming that encourages artists, especially from underrepresented groups, to take risks with their work, CULT engages a broad Bay Area and international audience. Conceived as a commercial gallery that would engage its audience beyond the white cube, CULT is renowned for its provocative exhibition programming, as well as unorthodox performances and critical dialogues between artists, curators and critics.