Tschabalala Self: *Dream Girl*, installation view, Jeffrey Deitch Los Angeles. Courtesy the artist and Jeffrey Deitch Los Angeles

In Dream Girl, Tschabalala Self offers an unflinching exploration of the constructed self and the complex processes surrounding femininity. The exhibition, currently on view at Jeffrey Deitch in Los Angeles, is a vibrant fusion of painting and sculpture that invites viewers into an immersive environment — one that unfolds as a mind map outlining the psychological and emotional nuances of Self’s protagonists. Each painting is a window into the mind of its subject, composed of fragments, textures, and vibrant palettes that encapsulate both the fractures and the unity of identity.

Self’s art is distinguished by her signature style of fabric collage, exuberant paint handling, and a synthesis of sculptural elements. It is this syncretic approach, blending the illusionistic with the tactile, that makes her work stand out. The artist’s use of textiles — a nod to her own upbringing in Harlem, where her mother’s sewing was both a craft and a creative expression — imbues the figures with a sense of texture that goes beyond the visual. The bodies in Dream Girl do not merely exist as flat images but as living, breathing presences, stitched together from material and memory. They become more than portraits; they become intricate compositions that speak to both the viewer and the culture at large.

The works on display, including the sculptural pieces that punctuate the exhibition, draw heavily from Los Angeles' duality — a city where reinvention is both romantic and dystopian, boundless in its promise yet unrelenting in its demands. For Self, this environment becomes a fertile ground for her complex inquiry into the Black female body, the ways in which it is perceived, idolized, and marginalized. The exhibition, while grounded in the personal and introspective, transcends the individual to evoke broader cultural and psychological themes.

What makes Dream Girl so compelling is its invitation to rethink how identity is shaped and how femininity is performed. Self’s figures are often depicted in exaggerated, surreal forms, emphasizing the multiplicity of experiences and emotions that make up the human psyche. There is an undeniable tension between strength and vulnerability, agency and passivity, identity and projection — a tension that is not only explored through the imagery but also through the very materials that construct these figures. Each stitch, each scrap of fabric, and each brushstroke contributes to the narrative of self-creation and self-possession, themes that echo throughout the artist’s body of work.

Self’s figures, although constructed from disparate materials, exude an incredible sense of unity. There is a sense of hope and empowerment embedded within each piece, which speaks to the artist’s ongoing investigation into the ways in which individuals, particularly Black women, navigate the complex terrain of external perception and internal self-realization. It’s clear that Self is not simply interested in depicting the body but rather in constructing it — in revealing how identity can be both a personal journey and a societal performance.

The dualities of Los Angeles — the land of Hollywood — are mirrored in the exhibition’s dynamic tension between glamour and alienation, creation and destruction, fantasy and reality. Dream Girl is a study in contrast, not only in its visual elements but also in the emotional landscape it conjures. The result is a deeply resonant body of work that pushes the boundaries of what we think we know about femininity, identity, and the body. Tschabalala Self continues to redefine the figurative tradition with work that is as intellectually stimulating as it is visually arresting, inviting us into a world where the boundaries between self and other, fantasy and reality, are constantly shifting.

In her latest exhibition, Self confirms her place as one of the most exciting and important voices in contemporary art. Dream Girl is more than an exhibition; it is a profound commentary on the intersection of identity, culture, and the intricacies of the self. It’s an invitation to not only look but to truly see the complexity of the bodies and minds that have long been marginalized.

Tschabalala Self's Dream Girl at Jeffrey Deitch

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