Relevant is Chicago-based artist Adeshola Makinde’s debut solo exhibition curated by Juana Williams, highlighting the fervor of the Civil Rights Movement, a significant moment in African Americans’ long-held fight for the same constitutional and legal rights other Americans benefited from. He is particularly referencing protest signs from the Civil Rights era to encourage a discussion centered on the continued relevance of the signs more than 50 years later.

The intention behind his exhibition is to bring forth a reminder that the fight is ongoing, despite many discussions about it as if it took place centuries ago. The moment we currently find ourselves in, speaks to that very sentiment. When referencing the protest signs and attire from the Civil Rights Movement, he recognized the uniformity in design that reflected the strong-held belief in the Black community that a unified voice was necessary in bringing forth the message of the people during that time. In Relevant, Makinde uses screen-printing to highlight the importance of unity, making a variety of statements that come together as one voice.