Lehmann Maupin is pleased to present Breathing Directions, Nari Ward’s third solo show with the gallery, on view at 201 Chrystie Street from September 9-November 1, 2015. Showcasing the artist’s new “Breathing Panels,” among other works, this exhibition continues Ward’s longstanding interest in the context and history of places in which he works, as well as the materials, objects, and phenomena he finds in those locations. In the works included in this exhibition the artist traces the meaning of various symbols, histories, and personal journeys, investigating how such signs can be at once present and visible, yet concealed to viewers unaware of their meaning.

The “Breathing Panels” are large-scale abstract works on copper that include the imprint of the artist’s making: Ward creates them by applying darkening patina to the bottom of his shoes and stepping on the copper panels, leaving a trace of his performative gesture. Ward has also punctured geometric patterns into each panel, which reference traditional Congolese “cosmograms,” an ancient prayer symbol that represents the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Ward first came across these symbols during a visit to the First African Baptist Church in Savannah, Georgia, which was part of the Underground Railroad, and where he came upon 26 distinct sets of patterns. At the church, holes were cut in the floorboards to allow escaping slaves to breathe as they moved clandestinely under the church. In his "Breathing Panels," Ward surrounds this pattern with copper nails and thin lines excised into the copper sheets, both reflecting light and drawing the viewer’s attention to the seemingly deep voids. Copper recurs as a fundamental material for Ward, who alludes to its resilience, conductivity, and association in some cultures with healing and restorative properties. The three panels in the exhibition act together as a sort of compass, with each “cosmogram” oriented in a different direction, referencing the escaping slaves’ northern journeys. In this work Ward utilizes visceral, thought-provoking imagery—including juxtapositions of hard, industrial materials with the evocation of a hunted person’s baited breath and the artist’s own footsteps—to poignantly call attention to American history as well as issues of race, identity and politics that remain relevant in this country today.