Derrick Adams, born in Baltimore, is a multidisciplinary artist now living and working in Brooklyn. Adams’s work celebrates and expands the dialogue around contemporary Black life and culture through scenes of normalcy and perseverance, often drawing inspiration from everyday life, popular culture, and historical narratives. Much of his work is a celebration of these themes through depictions of leisure, relaxation, and rest. His Cool Down Bench blends the functionality of a bench with the recognizable form of a an ice pop and the colors of the Pan-African flag. This combination of form, function, and color can evoke memories, spur contemplation, or simply provide a place to rest. While some may see a colorful ice pop bench, Adams’s intentions for his work are imbued with ideas about community, relaxation, and hopes for public spaces that can spark generations of joy and connection. He encourages viewers to figuratively consider the importance of leisure and self-care while literally providing a place to do so.
Derrick Adams, born in Baltimore, is a multidisciplinary artist now living and working in Brooklyn. Adams’s work celebrates and expands the dialogue around contemporary Black life and culture through scenes of normalcy and perseverance, often drawing inspiration from everyday life, popular culture, and historical narratives. Much of his work is a celebration of these themes through depictions of leisure, relaxation, and rest. His Cool Down Bench blends the functionality of a bench with the recognizable form of a an ice pop and the colors of the Pan-African flag. This combination of form, function, and color can evoke memories, spur contemplation, or simply provide a place to rest. While some may see a colorful ice pop bench, Adams’s intentions for his work are imbued with ideas about community, relaxation, and hopes for public spaces that can spark generations of joy and connection. He encourages viewers to figuratively consider the importance of leisure and self-care while literally providing a place to do so.
Social Choreography Score
by Kim Miller
Social Choreography Score
by Kim Miller
Remember a time you felt happiness. Make a small gesture for that time or event. Now repeat the gesture, but make the movements a little bigger. Repeat your gesture of happiness remembrance 3 more times, making bigger movements each time. Now repeat the entire sequence again, this time with a desire for a time in the future to feel happiness.
Begin by sitting on the bench, notice how it feels underneath you
Move your legs left and right on the ground while sitting
Stand up and turn to face the sculpture
Run your hands on the smooth surface
Stand up straight, arms by your side
Remember what you felt by sitting and touching the sculpture. Textures, temperature etc.
Let your body move in any way that shows what you felt. Indulge in your own movement.
Once you feel satisfied come to a still position again
Bring your arms up above your head, hands touching. Creating a long line in your body.
Move up and down the sculpture, with your arms up
After a couple times up and down, come to a stop in the middle
Bring one leg up into the air, balancing on the other, or imagine doing so.
Extend the leg in the air either to the front or back of you, still balancing on one leg and your hands up above your head, or imagine doing so.
Relax the arms down while one leg is stretched out in the air
Set the leg back down when you are ready
Sit back down on the bench
Scoot yourself up and down the bench, sliding across of it in a seated position
Stop at a place on the bench that speaks to you
Sit up as straight and stiff as possible
Relax
Remember a time you felt happiness. Make a small gesture for that time or event. Now repeat the gesture, but make the movements a little bigger. Repeat your gesture of happiness remembrance 3 more times, making bigger movements each time. Now repeat the entire sequence again, this time with a desire for a time in the future to feel happiness.
Begin by sitting on the bench, notice how it feels underneath you
Move your legs left and right on the ground while sitting
Stand up and turn to face the sculpture
Run your hands on the smooth surface
Stand up straight, arms by your side
Remember what you felt by sitting and touching the sculpture. Textures, temperature etc.
Let your body move in any way that shows what you felt. Indulge in your own movement.
Once you feel satisfied come to a still position again
Bring your arms up above your head, hands touching. Creating a long line in your body.
Move up and down the sculpture, with your arms up
After a couple times up and down, come to a stop in the middle
Bring one leg up into the air, balancing on the other, or imagine doing so.
Extend the leg in the air either to the front or back of you, still balancing on one leg and your hands up above your head, or imagine doing so.
Relax the arms down while one leg is stretched out in the air
Set the leg back down when you are ready
Sit back down on the bench
Scoot yourself up and down the bench, sliding across of it in a seated position
Stop at a place on the bench that speaks to you
Sit up as straight and stiff as possible
Relax
