Mark Bradford

in which he shall be

In which he shall be, rendered through the liberal application of silver leaf and blue paint, presents eleven excerpts from the preamble and first article of the Constitution of the United States. These iconic and likely familiar phrases reference the counting and appointment processes as well as the selection and eligibility requirements for Congress.

The concept of representation is emphasized in the title, as well, but the golden slash of paint which breaks apart the surface speaks to an imbalance that continues to have repercussions for citizens of this country. Bradford originally created In which he shall as a prototype for the London Embassy commission of We The People, 2017, a site-specific painting comprised of 32 ten-foot panels.

This work builds upon Bradford’s practice of engaging complicated ideas of identity and representation through visually beautiful aesthetics. Here, rather than making an outright statement about the Constitution of the United States, which is both a symbol for peace but also a flawed document of its time, Bradford opens a conversation through visual cues.