“SACRED IMPRINTS: "Bearing Witness to Ancestral Spirits" SAVE THE DATE: MARCH 23RD Reception: Saturday, March 23, 10 AM — 5 PM March 23 — April 26, 2024 Gallery 825 - LA 825 N. La Cienega Blvd • Los Angeles, CA 90069 Los Angeles, CA - Adeola Davies-Aiyeloja announces her first solo exhibition in Los Angeles, "SACRED IMPRINTS: Bearing Witness to Ancestral Spirits," taking place from March 23rd to April 26th, 2024, at Gallery 825. In her debut exhibition, Adeola Davies-Aiyeloja delves into the profound exploration of ancestral spirits, particularly those affected by the transatlantic slave trade. Inspired by her recent journey to the Cape Coast and Elmina Castles in Ghana, Davies-Aiyeloja was deeply moved by the haunting imprints left on the castle walls - faces, figures, and abstracted forms, notably within the dungeons. Through her art, Davies-Aiyeloja captures the stories of suffering, anguish, resilience, and tenacity embedded in these historical spaces. She draws parallels between the experiences of those held captive in the dungeons and the contemporary struggles faced by marginalized communities today. The urgency to give voice to the past becomes a powerful metaphor for present-day injustices. Join Adeola Davies-Aiyeloja as she invites viewers to bear witness to the sacred imprints of ancestral spirits and engage in a conversation about the enduring legacy of resilience and survival. - Gina Herrera: A Warrior's Heart Weaving together disparate elements, this work explores the complexities of identity, environmental respon¬sibility, and the impact of military service on the individual. Integrating robust materials with a nuanced touch of fragility and fluidity, I venture into uncharted territories, experimenting with mediums, including a revival of painting. Through each piece, I seek to confront the dissonance inherent in my dual role as a guardian of the earth and a participant in an institution whose values I came to question. This body of work reflects the challenges I faced as a woman in a predominantly male environment, concealing fragility, vulnerability, and difference in a realm defined by force, control, and conformity. I explore what it means to hold Native American identity while serving in an organization historically linked to genocide and ongoing global impositions. This internal conflict surfaces through the portrayal of a warrior, symbolizing my yearning to shield Mother Earth from all the pervasive evils inflicted upon it. For more information, please visit https://www.laaa.org/ or contact Gallery 825 at gallery825@laaa.org or (310) 652-8272. Press Contact: Adeola Davies-Aiyeloja Multidisciplinary Artist adeolastudio@yahoo.com