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Derrick Adams: Buoyant
On view through November 29, 2020
Museum of Fine Arts
St. Petersburg, Florida

Contemporary artist Derrick Adams has observed that in art and in reality, images of Black people at play, being joyful, and simply enjoying life are not the norm. To fill this void, Adams created a painting series titled “Floaters” between 2016–2019, where Black men, women and children lounged in or rested on novelty floaties in the pool. He wanted to share these images with the world, and for Blacks to see themselves through a lens of freedom, fun, and leisure. In the exhibition, “Derrick Adams: Buoyant,” 12 of these mixed-media works come together in a dynamic, vibrant presentation.

Image:
Derrick Adams (American, b. 1970), Floater 80, 2018, Acrylic paint on paper. Collection of the artist.