Terry Adkins: Relay Hymn

September 10 to November 7, 1999


Installation view. Photo: Gregory Benson.
Terry Adkins creates sculpture from discarded objects. Influenced by "assemblage" artists such as Richard Stankiewcz, Robert Rauschenberg and Joseph Cornell, Adkins' approach also reflects the aesthetic of 1960s Minimalism.

Although Adkins exists comfortably within the canon of art history, he can also be situated within an African American context. His references are the cultural tradition of the African American South, including crafts, trades, music, and folklore.

At ICA, Adkins created a site-specific installation honoring his father, a high school track coach who brought his team on numerous occasions to compete in the Penn Relay, a renowned track and field competition for high school and college athletes.


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