Breonna Taylor Sculpture Interpreted Through the Sacred Art of the Ori by Nigerian Artist LÁOLÚ NYC

Open for Bidding 9 – 17 December in Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Auction Public Exhibition at Sotheby’s New York 9 – 15 December

NEW YORK, 8 DECEMBER 2021 – Following highly successful public pop-up exhibitions in Flatbush, Brooklyn and Union Square earlier this year, which attracted tens of thousands of viewers and worldwide media attention, Sotheby’s and Confront Art are collaborating to bring two powerful and renowned sculptures of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor to auction, with proceeds from the auction supporting non-profit organizations founded by their family members: We Are Floyd and the Breonna Taylor Foundation. The works will be offered during Sotheby’s Contemporary Art auction, open for online bidding 9 – 17 December, and will be on public view at Sotheby’s York Avenue galleries in New York from 9 – 15 December.

Sculpted by artist Chris Carnabuci, the two works are part of a series that was previously part of Confront Art’s SEEINJUSTICE Series: George Floyd & Breonna Taylor. The SEEINJUSTICE series was inspired by the faces and stories that sparked the 2020 civil rights movement not only across America but throughout the world, and was conceived as a way to use to engage viewers, and encourage critical thinking and proactive social change. Covering the sculpture is artwork by Nigerian artist LÁOLÚ NYC, famous for his visual art contribution to Beyonce’s Grammy-winning album Lemonade, who provided his signature art styles known as the “Sacred Art of the Ori” and “Afromysterics” to create a powerful interpretation of Breonna Taylor’s story.

Breonna Taylor sculpture by Chris Carnabuci and LÁOLÚ NYC Photo Credit: LÁOLÚ NYC Harrison Tenzer, Sotheby’s Head of Digital Strategy for Auctions, said: “George Floyd and Breonna Taylor are two names forever etched in American history following their tragic murders at the hands of the police. Their memory has helped to fuel the international social justice movement combating the systemic racism that still rages, sometimes with deadly consequences, in America. Created to commemorate the lives and legacies of Floyd and Taylor, these two works serve as a poignant call to action, reminding us that we are each accountable for combating injustice in order to build the future we want. In a time when monuments matter, we are honored to work with Confront Art to include these iconic sculptures in our December Contemporary Art auction, with proceeds benefiting the foundations and organizations founded by family members of Floyd and Taylor in their honor.”

“We are still very much fighting for justice for Breonna,” said Tamika Palmer, mother to Breonna Taylor. “This project not only captures Breonna’s spirit, it is a monument standing for a call to justice for her, and the others who have suffered the same fate, and a beautiful way honor her life.”

“We hope that by allowing protestors, allies, and observers the opportunity to view the statue first-hand,” said Confront Art co-founder Lindsay Eshelman. “That we will encourage viewers to participate in tangible differences such as donating to the We Are Floyd Organization and Breonna Taylor Foundation.”

“I am honored to take part in such an important fight for justice and being able to share a piece of the Yoruba culture in the narrative of Breonna’s story,” said LÁOLÚ NYC.

The one-of-one George Floyd statue stands 6-feet-tall (estimate $100/150,000) and was recently refurbished in November following infamous acts of vandalism during the pop-up exhibitions. The incident in Union Square happened only two days following the unveiling of the work, and was captured on camera and broadcast around the world highlighting the type of discrimination the sculpture stands to combat. The Floyd sculpture was previously unveiled to the public on Juneteenth for a public exhibition in Flatbush, Brooklyn.

The sculpture of Breonna Taylor (estimate $20/30,000) is of a smaller scale (measuring approximately 45 inches tall) than the later and larger edition that was on public view alongside the George Floyd sculpture in New York, and was actually the first edition produced by Carnabuci. LÁOLÚ NYC’s signature art form on the sculpture and base includes variety of coded symbols and Yoruba iconography that take inspiration from the civil rights and social justice movements, the details of Taylor’s life and tragic death, traditional Yoruba culture, Black culture, American history, and much more. Among them include the "Oya" spiral, a symbol and signifies the cycle of life and its continuity; black and white justice scales representing the fight for racial justice and equity; a thunderbolt representing the Yoruba deity Oya, a woman deity among the most powerful deities and known as a fierce warrior; and a drum to celebrate Taylor’s life, as the drum is commonly used throughout traditional African music and symbolizes the beat of life.

Both the Floyd and Taylor works are composed of more than 200 layers of CNC cut plywood, showcasing the artist’s signature style. Each layer is precisely measured, stacked, and pinned to capture a realistic 3-D portrayal of Floyd and Taylor. Carnabuci’s sculptures are based on 3-D models by father-son duo Daniel Edwards and Rodman Edwards.

The George Floyd and Breonna Taylor sculptures will be offered during Sotheby’s Contemporary Art auction, open for online bidding 9 – 17 December, and will be on public view at Sotheby’s York Avenue galleries in New York from 9 – 15 December, alongside contemporary art by Tony Cragg, Richard Hambleton, Maurizio Cattelan, Romare Bearden, Manolo Valdés, and Anselm Kiefer, among many others.