Derek Fordjour

Derek Fordjour is a multi-media artist whose exuberant visual materiality gives rise to portraits and other multilayered compositions. Fordjour crafts vibrant portraits and layered compositions infused with sociological insight and a deep understanding of human vulnerability. Through a meticulous collage process, he constructs textured surfaces as dynamic as the athletes and performers who populate his works. Fordjour's ability to navigate diverse artistic layers allows him to evoke a range of emotions, from celebration to melancholy, resonating with audiences across traditional art venues.

Born in 1974 in Memphis, Tennessee, to Ghanaian parents, Fordjour earned his BA from Morehouse College and pursued further education at Harvard University and Hunter College, culminating in an MFA in painting. Currently holding the Alex Katz Chair at Cooper Union and serving as a Core Critic at Yale School of Art, Fordjour's accolades include residencies and fellowships such as the Sugarhill Museum Artist-in-Residence and the Deutsche Bank NYFA Fellow.

Recent solo exhibitions at esteemed venues like the Pond Society in Shanghai, the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, and Petzel Gallery in New York highlight Fordjour's prominence in the art world. His works grace collections at prestigious institutions including the Brooklyn Museum, Guggenheim Museum, and Whitney Museum. Notably, Fordjour's talent extends to public art, with commissions such as the mosaic installations for Manhattan's 145th Street subway station by the Metropolitan Transit Authority of New York in 2018.