Valincy-Jean Patelli

I Will Tell You the Future is a body of mixed-media works that explore Yoruba cosmology and acts of manifestation through rituals and spiritual practices. The exhibition asks viewers to step into a visual and sonic portal where Orishas, or elevated spirits, first make landfall between the celestial realm and physical space. In textile sculpture, sound, and work on canvas, wood panel, and masonite, Patelli holds space for desire beyond survival and for beginnings rooted in the non-binary. In this exhibition, community forms as an act of liberation, connecting desire with destiny, inverting the pyramid of what matters, and releasing distractions to allow fluidity in all directions. These sculptures embody a language of their own that echoes heightened energy. Each object stores a bit of memory that continues like a sentence representing a prayer spoken with a close, soft breath, rhythmic and repetitive.

I Will Tell You the Future holds as its center the cosmology of the Yoruba people, as these beliefs and practices are translated and adopted by queer BIPOC people in the United States and throughout the diaspora. Connecting spirituality to Orishas, the exhibition suggests, is a way for people who have lost religious, familial, or other community to find a belief system that is expansive enough to include any identity. Within the practice of these spiritual ideals, queer BIPOC people can choose self, family, and community, among other desires.

Solo Exhibition, Los Angeles, CA Unrepd Gallery

*Digital catalog upon request.

"Artifacts and Heirlooms" is a poignant series that delves into the speculative exploration of lost objects from the Middle Passage, unveiling a deeply resonant narrative of history and heritage. Crafted with a profound understanding of the emotional weight carried by each artifact, this collection transcends time, inviting viewers to reflect on the profound impact of the transatlantic slave trade.

The series intricately weaves together elements of mystery and historical reconstruction, creating a vivid tapestry that speaks to the collective experiences of those who traversed the Middle Passage. Each piece serves as a silent witness to the stories of resilience, sorrow, and triumph unfolding within the confines of this harrowing journey.

Through a masterful interplay of textures, colors, and forms, the artist breathes life into these speculative relics, allowing them to transcend their physicality and connect with the viewer on a visceral level. The absence of these objects in our tangible history is filled with the weight of what might have been—a tangible link to a past often obscured.

"Artifacts and Heirlooms" is not merely a collection; it is a profound meditation on the complexities of heritage, loss, and the enduring spirit of those who endured the Middle Passage. In each stroke and nuance, the series beckons us to confront the gaps in our understanding of history and invites a reflection on the interconnectedness of our shared human experience.

An Egbe is a spiritual companion, a guide, an artifact, and a relic of the familiar and the unknown. They share a connection between heaven and earth, the sky and the sea. They possess wisdom and govern over dreams, wealth, prosperity, meditation, and healing. They are a language shared in prayer and dreams, a voice to and from an astral realm, and symbolize the trust one has between themselves and the guide, an offering of faith. They're androgynous and can take on any form. Textured by barnacle formations, Egbe’s surface and fractures signal their resonance with Olókun: owner of the ocean and deepest depths of the sea.

Plaster casts mixed with a variation of hole-punched paper size and weight. The effect creates an outer texture which can result in a fracture in the structure.

*Material studies.