2024
Acrylic and coffee on cotton canvas
78 x 82 3/8 x 1 3/8 in.
On loan from private collector.
Courtesy of David Kordansky Gallery.
Photo by Christopher Stach.
In Grandfather’s Grandchildren, Chase Hall stains raw cotton with brewed coffee, his signature technique that reclaims materials tied to histories of enslavement. Hall reflects on the wisdom, resilience, and lived experiences of elders, suggesting that grandchildren are not just descendants but carriers of their ancestors’ stories and struggles. Hall’s patterned facial markings recall African masks, not as exact copies but as symbols connecting past and present. His use of material and abstraction invites reflection on how identity is shaped across generations, turning portraits into living archives of history and spirit.