LOS ANGELES, CA.- Willie Cole’s interest in the synchronicity of African and American cultures and found object assemblage have formed the basis of the body of his work. In his assemblage, installation and wall works, Willie Cole transforms ordinary, domestic objects such as hair dryers, bicycle parts, iron and ironing boards, high-heeled shoes and lawn jockeys into powerful works embedded with references to the African American experience and inspired by West African religion, mythology and culture.

Discarded mass-produced American products, objects that have themselves acquired a “pre-history” through their earlier handling and use, become the raw material of Cole’s creations. Drawing on his personal experience and collective cultural histories, his work is a playful, inquisitive and intelligent approach to synthesizing the physical and spiritual worlds. The show originated at the University of Wyoming Art Museum.