Celebrated for his nuanced representations of athletics, Derek Fordjour turns to sport spectators in Windfall, 2016. The present work depicts the close of a baseball game, viewed from within the grandstands. The scene is experienced behind a standing crowd of fans – some donning numbered jerseys, while others hold striped umbrellas. The baseball diamond is dotted by three groundsmen who tend the field, sweeping away precipitation and confetti beneath the stadium lights and a darkening sky. Fordjour astutely portrays the dynamics of the live event, isolating the moment when the mostly behind-the-scenes laborers briefly take center-stage before an expectant crowd.
This separation between those who watch and those who perform—whether on the sports field or the socio-economic stage—serves as a critical commentary on the roles and expectations that society imposes based on race, class and other identities. Fordjour points to the cultural significance of sports and spectatorship as well as the industry’s business dealings, which can crucially dictate the success of individuals and franchises, prompting consideration of power dynamics and systems of valuation.
“As both an artist and marginalized person in society, I am keenly aware of my sense of agency. Much akin to the plight of a player situated within an individual or collective game, knowledge of the rules, the acquisition and development of skill and an adept application of both are critical to one’s survival.”
—Derek FordjourWindfall was first exhibited at Luce Gallery in Turin in the artist’s 2016 show Agency & Regulation. This body of paintings utilized spatial flattening reminiscent of modernist figuration to explore the opposing forces of freedom of choice and behavioral independence versus authoritative organizations. These theories are often considered in relation to the field of economics, but also apply broadly to our social structures. Turning to the stadium workers and backs of the crowd, Windfall evidences a deepening of Fordjour’s engagement with the allegories of art and sport. Rendered in the artist’s distinctive muted palette, the frenzy of the post-game celebration is stilled, confetti frozen in space, and attention is drawn to those whose work is crucial but removed from the spectacle.
