Virgil Abloh’s Groundbreaking Exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum

This summer, the first-ever museum exhibit devoted to the genre-spanning work of designer Virgil Abloh will debut in New York, the Brooklyn Museum has announced.

Before his untimely death in November 2021 from cancer, Abloh achieved remarkable success as Louis Vuitton’s first-ever Black artistic director. This landmark achievement added to a resume filled with highlights, including earning a master’s degree in architecture, serving as creative director for Kanye West’s Donda, launching the luxe-streetwear brand Off-White, and creating a mass-market collection for Ikea.

Opening July 1 and running through January 29, 2023, Virgil Abloh: “Figures of Speech” will celebrate his polymath perspective. The exhibit will feature Abloh’s collaborations with notable artists such as Kanye West, Takashi Murakami, and architect Rem Koolhaas, as well as fashion-oriented materials from his archives. Guest curator Antwaun Sargent states that these objects “touch on the ways he blurred the boundaries of different mediums to create something entirely his own.”

Abloh imparted his expansive vision of creativity in one of his final interviews with Vogue France, stating, “I don’t concentrate on a particular form of art, I see things in a wider context. No need to focus on one particular genre, whether it’s fashion, art, or music… Tying your creativity up in a capsule corrupts the natural process.”

This philosophy anchors the Brooklyn exhibit, which includes his new “social sculpture.” Designed to counteract the historical lack of space for Black artists, this monumental artwork serves as a gathering and performance space. According to the press release, it emphasizes how Abloh’s creativity made room for younger generations to explore their ideas, consequently reshaping the landscape of art and design.

Abloh was deeply moved by this concept, emphasizing, “These youngsters need to forge their own paths. They shouldn’t have any limits put on them. I continue to be very inspired by my predecessors, but no one tells me which direction I should take. You need to go with the flow and see what happens. Being an optimist is what gets me out of bed every day. I see a future that is better than our past.”

Who was Virgil Abloh?

Born to Ghanaian parents, who he cites as his initial style inspiration, Abloh’s identity was integral to his creative work. He remarked, “Africa is where I’m from, where my heritage is rooted, the one I grew up with. It’s my DNA, my own personal culture and as I get older, I’m getting more and more attached to it.”

As a prominent Black artist and visionary, he was a trailblazer in various fields, acknowledging the weight of his responsibility with pride. “I take pride in the fact that there’s a kid who’s living in Alabama, who never thought something like this was possible for him… But all of a sudden, because I’m here, he knows [he can do it too]. I’m not doing [this] for myself. I’m doing it to be a beacon of hope for someone. This is the legacy of any artist or creative: you want to make sure that your work makes an impact.”

The Virgil Abloh: “Figures of Speech” exhibit offers a profound glimpse into the mind and legacy of a remarkable artist whose influence transcends industries. It is an opportunity to celebrate the indelible mark he left on art and culture.