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Galeria Azur’s upcoming exhibition, _Crossing Points_, delves into the powerful relationship between painting and countercultural movements throughout history. Highlighting art's role as a tool of resistance and reinvention, the exhibition showcases works that challenge societal norms, question aesthetic conventions, and redefine beauty and meaning. From the abstract expressionism of Jackson Pollock to contemporary artistic innovations, these pieces demonstrate how painting has consistently pushed against the boundaries of tradition, offering new ways to understand identity, existence, and the world around us.

Drawing on the insights of art critic Arthur Danto, who argued that modern art’s move away from realism serves as a critique of the cultural and social status quo, Crossing Points invites viewers to reconsider the role of art as both a reflection of and challenge to prevailing ideologies. Through a diverse range of works that explore abstraction, conceptualism, and subversive imagery, the exhibition offers an immersive experience that encourages reflection on art’s transformative power in shaping society. Join us in this exploration of how painting continues to question, redefine, and shape our understanding of the world.

**Galeria Azur, NY, USA · November 8 – December 3, 20244** · [Learn more](https://galeriaazur.art/exhibition/crossing-points/)

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Featuring in _Crossing Points_ is Cohart artist [Jayden Ashley](https://www.cohart.com/jaydenashley/)'s **[I AM #6](https://www.cohart.com/artworks/18301?fromListingName=Profile&fromListingId=profile)**, which exemplifies the exhibition’s exploration of art as a form of resistance and transformation. Known for his bold use of color and abstraction, Ashley challenges traditional notions of beauty and representation, weaving themes of personal identity and societal critique into his layered, textured compositions. His paintings invite viewers to reconsider the frameworks through which we perceive the world, offering a visual dialogue that subverts conventional norms and encourages a deeper reflection on the role of art in shaping both individual and collective identity.

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The _I AM_ series implores viewers to acknowledge the centuries of oppression, struggle, and triumph that make up the complex Black identity, with the purpose of informing the present and shaping the future. Being African American is a testament to Black history, and the spilled blood of the ancestors who fought tirelessly for the freedoms that African Americans fight to keep today. History called African Americans “Negro” in an attempt to otherize, but through it, they found strength within unity.I AM #6 explores the nature of African American identity through a dynamic interplay of fleeting and returning text. The rusted iron surface mirrors the evolution of Black identity in Western society, reflecting how both text and metal respond to their surroundings. By applying a patina, the iron surface is oxidized to create an aged appearance, symbolizing how identity—like metal—bears the marks of its environment.

[Check out more work from Jayden Ashley](https://www.cohart.com/jaydenashley/profile).

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Crossing Points explores painting as a countercultural force, challenging norms and redefining beauty, identity, and societal perceptions.

Crossing Points | Group Exhibition

Crossing Points | Group Exhibition

I AM #6, Jayden Ashley

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