'Queen Sugar' actor Kofi Siriboe dives into the art world with his first L.A. exhibition

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On a warm afternoon in Koreatown, Kofi Siriboe and two of his friends are carefully positioning four small paintings against a blank white gallery wall.

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"It's a photo opportunity, I'm telling you," one of the men assures him. A few more minutes pass and three more individuals enter the room to assist in deciding the best way to hang the grid of paintings by artist Jessica "J Hand" Strahan on the wall.

The two-city art exhibition between Los Angeles and New Orleans that Siriboe is co-curating with three other creatives, and his team is busy preparing for a VIP opening night, which is in less than 30 hours. The showcase, celebrating Black artistry across mediums through installations, photography, sculpture, and more, will be on display from Friday through Sunday during Frieze L.A. at the Line Hotel in Koreatown.

The three-day event will also include a panel discussion on Friday with Laolu Senbanjo of New York and New Orleans' Langston Allston, as well as artist Lisane Basquiat, Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors, and Dee Kerrison.

Solange's "F.U.B.U." is playing over the speakers, and the engineers are hammering nails into the walls while artists are coming and going to deliver their artwork that will be showcased in the exhibit.

He moves with confidence around the room, even when an unexpected schedule change cuts into his installation time. It's remarkable that this is his first time curating an art show in his hometown of Los Angeles. He's beaming with a smile, showcasing a sparkly silver grill, and playfully joking with his team. His calm attitude seems to energize the room, despite the tension of the situation.

believe that the current trends will "set the tone for the next decade," he says.

The Other Los Angeles

The performer delivered the most-watched halftime show in history at Tola, a small creative space that supports Black artists, which she also launched the same week. Approximately 1,200 people attended the three-day event, which included a mural created by Allston. The mural was commissioned by Paramount Pictures and located on Bayou Road, the oldest street in New Orleans, as part of the Tola exhibition.

Siriboe, who grew up in L.A.'s Ladera neighborhood, moved to New Orleans about 10 years ago when he started working on "Queen Sugar." He ended up staying after falling for the city's vibrant culture and art scene, which he became a part of seamlessly.

My cast mates, when we wrapped filming, many of them went back to New York and Los Angeles, but for me, it was like being a college student and not having a reason to return home.

In 2021, he bought a historic Greek Revival home built in 1847 that had a recording studio, three bedrooms, a pool, and a peaceful backyard. The goal was to turn it into a shared space. Initially, he wasn't sure what to do with the house, but after talking to God several times, he decided to turn it into Tola, which stands for "The Other L.A." This name reflects his love for his hometown and the city that helped shape him in his 20s. Through Tola, he plans to establish a residency program that will welcome and support Black artists from all over the world.

When talking about his vision for Tola, he frequently brings up his spiritual perspective: “My hope is that every single person who steps through those doors leaves with a stronger connection to the divine, because they already have it within them,” Siriboe says. “But I want it to be reawakened, revitalized. I want something new to emerge or be discovered. I want it to be a space for renewal, for relaxation, for creativity.”

Part of Siriboe's mission for Tola is to also bring more visibility to the Black art community in New Orleans.

A multidisciplinary artist from New Orleans. He co-curated one of the exhibitions, the "Tola experience", for the Los Angeles showcase, which features a few of his black-and-white photographs. "The Tola experience could launch artists to greater heights."

A migration west

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That was my year of coming back and I realized, 'Damn, New Orleans is the most African city in the United States,'" he says. "Just like the lawlessness and I say that with affection. The way the people live, the chemistry of the culture and the city [and] the freedom. You'll see Black men and kids on horses in the middle of the street in the second lines and the celebrations, so it felt like something I'd never seen before, but it felt familiar.

To an ordinary fan, his venture into the world of fine art may seem like a surprising turn. But for Siriboe, Tola is simply another expression of his creativity.

"I view it all as an expression," says Siriboe, who considers himself a versatile artist, having explored his passions through acting, directing, music, modeling, and entrepreneurship, including launching a production company and clothing line.

He adds, "I believe that storytelling and capturing the essence and emotion of an idea in any form is my true passion."

The moment, the movement

They chose to co-curate the crossover showcase titled "Black in Every Color, Art in Every Form."

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One of the most striking pieces in the "Movement" exhibition is a light pink installation by Breon. Visitors are invited to share a moment when a Black woman said something to them that later turned out to be true, anonymously, over a landline phone. In return, they will receive a written prophecy printed on a piece of paper.

Breon was thinking about how to physically interact with the idea of reaching back and pulling what you need to get what you deserve and what's rightfully yours," says Breon about how she interpreted the exhibition theme. "She thought about drawing on our intuition and recognizing that as a crucial part for moving forward and continuing to make progress.

A notable piece at the showcase is a large-scale painting by Allston, a Chicago-born, New Orleans-based artist, which shows two people in a rowboat navigating rough waters with the words "The River Carried Me to You" written above them. The painting is located in "The Migration" room but also serves as a connection between the two exhibitions.

Jones states that their primary goal with all the artwork on display was to pay tribute and give recognition to Black artists.

What we're doing is really taking a stand in the present moment and highlighting the significance of contemporary Black art," says Jones, who has also organized exhibitions in Tokyo, London, and New York. "We've been able to select some of the most influential artists working globally who are making a significant social impact.

It depicts three Black hands that appear to be walking or dancing, and it's the only artwork created specifically for the exhibition's theme, Siriboe explains.

"It kind of reminds me of graffiti, like the kind you see in LA," Siriboe says as he looks at the painting. He pauses for a moment, gathering his thoughts. It's clear that he's both an admirer and someone with knowledge in this area.

It feels incredibly human-like for us. To be able to convey so much just with our hands is incredibly powerful.

Black is present in every hue, creativity is found in every medium. The exhibit will be on display from Friday, February 21, through Sunday, February 23, at the Line. H Admission to the event at the Koreatown hotel is free, but donations will be accepted at the door. The proceeds will go towards supporting the "Black in Every Color" series, funding Tola's artist residency program, and assisting with relief efforts in L.A.

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