Critical i by Jeff Jahn
www.nwdrizzle.com february 2003

damali ayo: Skinned
CoCA, Seattle

damali ayo had an excellent show in Seattle at the Center on Contemporary Art (CoCA), called "Skinned." It really shows a lot of her range as an artist. In "Flesh Room," a space painted her own skin shade, her art literally obscures the artist like camoflauge.

In that room, she disappears somewhat while standing in front of the wall. Nice touch. It's about how basic skin-shade characteristics overshadow people. Yet when people who do not match her shade stand in the room the difference stands out all the more saliently. The point? Color matters but it is up to the viewer to subjectively determine how.

Overall, "Skinned" is pretty nuanced and aesthetic. Its genesis occurred in a paint store where the staff was continually asked to match colors. Ayo, being the imp she is, simply asked to match her skin tone.

In the second room, ayo arranged a multitude of skin-toned surfaces with dime-store frames. The effect is concussive: ayo as an artist has completely disappeared into a sea of flat, droll distinctions about skin tones. A real showstopper.

It's easy to get used to as art. However, does it really change people? Probably not, unless it's put in increasingly public spaces. But as Victor Frankl pointed out while accounting his ordeal in the holocaust, "A human being can get used to anything." Ayo's display of variety is at least part of the solution.

ayo's "Flesh Room," another engaging disappearing act.

ayo's "Fleshtone."