Black American artist Torkwase Dyson creates contemporary minimalist sculptures, a pioneer in a historically white-male-dominated sub-genre. With every new piece, the ingenuity of her art is further proven. This is true in many of Dyson's works, but particularly with Liquid Shadows, Solid Dreams (A Monastic Playground), a product of the 2024 Hyundai Terrace Commission at the Whitney Museum of American Art.
As the work’s title suggests, the piece is meant to be a ‘monastic playground,’ alluding to a place where people are free to move, play, and interact with the sculpture, all while contemplating the significance of their actions as monks would in a monastery. Therefore, Liquid Shadows, Solid Dreams (A Monastic Playground) was made of a series of intentional contradictions. Dyson welcomes people to interact with the art piece, striking out from typical conventions of gallery and museum spaces.
The piece questions the relationship between free will, societal norms, and the perceived background of individuals, such as race, age, and even sexuality. It promotes a state of being where individuals can freely choose what they believe is best, a present and future where everyone is treated equally, despite years of conditioning from societal norms that call for otherwise. This is why the piece is relevant to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Reduced Inequalities.
The monumental and participatory nature of Liquid Shadows, Solid Dreams (A Monastic Playground) recalls the works of the late land-art and minimalist artist Richard Serra. Serra believed that an artist’s most important tools were their verbs, which allowed them to speak their creations into existence and to create works that would inspire further action. This is the artistic spirit that Dyson has captured ever so wonderfully in her piece for the Hyundai Terrace Commission.
Liquid Shadows, Solid Dreams (A Monastic Playground) by Torkwase Dyson challenges conventional boundaries of minimalist art by integrating themes of freedom, societal norms, and individual identity. Her innovative approach invites audiences to engage physically, emotionally, and intellectually with the sculpture, encouraging them to question traditional notions of race, gender, and artistic interactions. Through this piece, Dyson continues to prove the transformative power of art in fostering dialogue and inspiring change.
Find out more about Liquid Shadows, Solid Dreams (A Monastic Playground) by Torkwase Dyson and their other pieces by checking their Instagram on @torkwasedyson.